Rahul Gandhi to contest elections from Uttar Pradesh for second constituency

Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi will contest the general election from Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh state, in addition to Wayanad in Kerala state in the south, which has already voted.

Congress party made the announcement on Friday, in a move a move that would challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a region he dominates.

Soon after the announcement, Gandhi flew to Raebareli in a private aircraft, accompanied by his mother Sonia, sister Priyanka and senior Congress leaders, to file his nomination papers.

"It was our demand that our leader Rahul Gandhi contest from Uttar Pradesh," state Congress president Ajay Rai told news agency ANI, in which Reuters has a minority stake.

"His contesting here will strongly impact the remaining five phases of the elections. Rahul is a fighter, he cannot back off, he is not backing off, he will win with a huge margin," Rai said.

Modi and the BJP attacked Gandhi for the decision.

"I had said that the prince will lose in Wayanad and in fear of his loss...he will look for another seat," Modi said on Friday, referring to Gandhi.

"I also want to tell them wholeheartedly, do not be afraid, do not run away," Modi said.

Uttar Pradesh, most populous state of India, elects 80 lawmakers to the lower house of parliament, the most of any state.

In 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and allies won 64 seats, including from Amethi, adjacent to Raebareli, where Gandhi was defeated.

Rahul Gandhi's mother Sonia Gandhi won from Raebareli in 2019, which has returned a Congress candidate in 17 of the 20 elections held there since 1952, mostly members of the Gandhi family. Sonia Gandhi is now a member of the upper house of parliament.