Election Flashback: Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi has once again contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Wayanad. In the 2019 elections, he had contested both Wayanad and Amethi seats, but in Amethi, he had to face defeat at the hands of BJP leader Smriti Irani, while the people of Wayanad gave him victory by a huge margin of votes. Various types of reactions were seen regarding the election of Rahul Gandhi in 2019. While the Congress justified the decision by saying that the decision to field Rahul Gandhi from Wayanad seat was taken to strengthen the party’s base in the three southern states of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Some political pundits believed that this was a desperate attempt to save face due to the possibility of defeat from Amethi.
Indira Gandhi won the election from Chikmagalur in 1978.
This is not the first time that a South Indian seat has saved the reputation of the Gandhi family. Earlier, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had also represented South India in 1978 and 1980. After the defeat in the 1977 elections, a safe seat was being searched for Indira Gandhi where she could reach the Lok Sabha through by-elections. In such a situation, the attention of Congress strategists went to Chikmagalur seat of Karnataka. Chandra Gowda of Congress was the MP on this seat. Chandra Gowda vacated this seat. Indira Gandhi was contesting against former Karnataka Chief Minister Virendra Patil in the by-election.
The slogan ‘One lioness… a hundred langurs, Chikmagalur-Chikmagalur’ changed the mood
Congress wanted to win this electoral battle at any cost, whereas Janata Party tried its best to prevent Indira Gandhi from winning. Janata Party gave its full strength. Congress felt the need of a slogan that could change the electoral atmosphere. In such a situation, a slogan came from the Congress side – ‘One lioness… a hundred langurs, Chikmagalur-Chikmagalur’. This slogan showed its effect and Indira Gandhi won the election by 77 thousand votes. The deposits of 26 candidates contesting against him were confiscated.
Indira won the election from Medak in 1980.
In 1980 also, Indira Gandhi had contested elections from Medak in undivided Andhra Pradesh (now Telangana) and Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh. Indira Gandhi was not confident about winning from Rae Bareli seat. He had won both the seats. In Medak, he had defeated the flamboyant Janata Party leader S Jaipal Reddy. Later he left Rae Bareli seat. He represented the Medak Lok Sabha seat until his assassination in 1984.
Sonia Gandhi represented Bellary in 1999
After Indira Gandhi, former Congress President Sonia Gandhi had contested from Amethi Lok Sabha seat as well as Bellary in 1999. Due to confusion on Amethi seat, Congress fielded him from Bellary also. BJP gave ticket to its strong leader Sushma Swaraj from Bellary. He gave a tough competition to Sonia Gandhi. Sonia Gandhi had managed to win this election by a margin of only 7 percent votes.
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