SP MP claims Rahul Gandhi feared contesting Amethi, chose Raebareli after party pressure
Samajwadi Party MP Shiv Pal Singh Patel said Rahul Gandhi was reluctant to run from Amethi and only contested Raebareli after being urged by the SP.
In a PTI interview, Samajwadi Party MP Shiv Pal Singh Patel asserted that Rahul Gandhi was "so scared" to contest the traditional Amethi constituency and was persuaded by the SP leadership to run from Raebareli instead. Patel credited the SP-Congress alliance for all six Congress victories in Uttar Pradesh, stating the party would have been shut out without SP support. He warned that Congress’s recent caste-focused appointments would not yield benefits and urged the party to accept a modest seat share, noting the SP’s 37 seats versus Congress’s six.
Patel further suggested that without an alliance Congress could end up with zero seats. Congress spokesperson Anshu Awasthi responded by urging the SP to rein in such statements.
Why it matters
The remarks reveal growing friction within the SP-Congress alliance that could reshape seat-sharing and electoral dynamics in Uttar Pradesh.
How the sides frame it
HIGH AGREEMENTBoth left-leaning and centrist coverage present the same SP MP claim that Rahul Gandhi was scared to run in Amethi and needed party pressure to contest Raebareli, and note Congress’s reliance on the SP alliance.
LEFT
Left-leaning coverage highlights the SP MP’s claim that Rahul Gandhi was scared to contest Amethi and stresses the intra-bloc feud sparked by the statement.
CENTER
Centrist coverage emphasizes the SP MP’s allegation that party pressure forced Rahul Gandhi to run from Raebareli and underlines the importance of the SP-Congress alliance for Congress’s seats.
The left emphasises
- Rahul Gandhi was "so scared" to contest the traditional Amethi constituency
- Congress would lose all seats without the SP-Congress alliance
- Congress spokesperson urged the SP to rein in such statements
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