The dusty intersections of roads in Rae Bareli have been busy spots over the last ten days, as they are the venues for a slew of small election rallies, according to Saurabh Shah, a resident of Sarain Hardo village in the Uttar Pradesh constituency. “This poll campaign may stand out as it is localised outreach with smaller meetings mostly by Congress,” says Mr. Shah, a B.A. graduate, as he sips his tea at a roadside stall.
Also read: Rahul Gandhi’s political journey from Amethi to Rae Bareli in 20 years
Rae Bareli is the only parliamentary seat that the Congress won in the country’s largest State in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, and is considered one of the party’s safest seats in the Hindi heartland. Rae Bareli’s voters have voted in a Congress candidate in 17 of the 20 parliamentary elections held here since Independence, including bypolls. This time, it is garnering extra buzz as Congress workers from across the country are here bolstering support for the party’s nominee, Rahul Gandhi, with his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra leading from the front.
