BREAKING: Won't Contest Lok Sabha Polls: Sonia Gandhi Announces Retirement

Sonia Gandhi announces Retirement: Former Congress president and senior leader Sonia Gandhi officially announced her retirement from electoral politics on Thursday, February 15, while addressing the voters of Rae Bareli. The announcement comes a day after Sonia Gandhi filed her Rajya Sabha nomination from Rajasthan. 

Sonia Gandhi said that she has taken the decision of retirement due her health and old age. She also asked the voters of Rae Bareli to support the Gandhi family, fuelling the speculations that Congress may field Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from the Rae Bareli, the traditional seat of Gandhi family. 

Informing the voters of Rae Bareli about the decision, Sonia Gandhi wrote, “I am proud to say that whatever I am today, I am because of you and I have always done my best to honour your trust. Now on account of health and age issues, I will not contest the next Lok Sabha election.” 

Priyanka Gandhi To Contest From Rae Bareli 

In an emotional message, Sonia Gandhi also threw subtle hints of a possible entry of a member of her family from the Rae Bareli segment. "After this decision, I will not have the opportunity to serve you directly but my heart and soul will always remain with you. I know that you will stand by me and my family in future, just as you have in the past," she said in the letter written in Hindi.

Sonia Gandhi Takes Rajya Sabha Berth 

Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi filed her nomination papers for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls from Rajasthan on Wednesday. She was accompanied by son Rahul Gandhi, daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and senior Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot and Govind Singh Dotasra. 

Sonia Gandhi To Be Second Member Of Family To Enter RS

The Congress is comfortably placed to win one of the three Rajya Sabha seats from Rajasthan for which elections will be held. The seat will fall vacant after former prime minister Manmohan Singh completes his six-year tenure in April. 

She will be the second member of the Gandhi family to enter Rajya Sabha after former prime minister Indira Gandhi, who was a member of the Upper House from August 1964 to February 1967.