Congress will again be split into two factions, former party leader predicts

Priyanka Gandhi

A day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi announced his nomination from the Raebareli constituency, former party leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam has predicted a split within the Congress party.

The former aide of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra claimed that the morale of the party workers was dampened by the way Rahul Gandhi gave up on Amethi. The fact that Priyanka Gandhi will not contest the ongoing Lok Sabha elections would not bode well either, he said. This could lead the party being split into two factions – one of Rahul Gandhi and the other of Priyanka, Krishnam added.

Notably, there were speculations surrounding Priyanka Gandhi’s nomination from the Raebareli seat.

Acharya Pramod Krishnam told news agency ANI, “The way Rahul Gandhi has left Amethi, Congress party workers' morale is down. Priyanka Gandhi not contesting the election, this is now taking the shape of a volcano in the hearts of her supporters that will erupt after June 4. Congress will again be split into two factions, one of Rahul Gandhi and the other of Priyanka Gandhi...”

“I think Rahul Gandhi should contest from Rawalpindi instead of Raebareli, as his popularity and demand are increasing in Pakistan,” he added.

Krishnam also alleged there are people within the Congress party and the Gandhi family who are conspiring against Priyanka Gandhi.

"I had already said that Rahul Gandhi will not let Priyanka Gandhi Vadra contest elections... There is a huge conspiracy in the family and the party against Priyanka Gandhi. She is the victim of a conspiracy in the family and the party... Rahul Gandhi should have contested from Varanasi against PM Modi if he did not want to contest from Amethi...," he said.

Rahul Gandhi filed his papers from Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli constituency on May 3, barely an hour before nominations closed for the Lok Sabha seat.

He had lost from the adjoining Amethi constituency to BJP's Smriti Irani in 2019, but won from Wayanad in Kerala a seat he is contesting this time as well. Kishori Lal Sharma, a close aide of the Gandhi family, filed his papers from the Amethi Lok Sabha constituency.

Polling in both parliamentary constituencies is on May 20.