LS polls: Rae Bareli should show UP, country path to progress, says Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said Rae Bareli should once again show the path to progress and development to Uttar Pradesh and the country as it has been the ideological and political centre of the state in the past.

Sharing a video with his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in a post on X, he recollected memories of their childhood while passing through Rae Bareli, from where he is contesting on the Lok Sabha seat vacated by his mother Sonia Gandhi.

"Rae Bareli has an important role in India's progress, in giving direction to the country. Rae Bareli has for years been Uttar Pradesh's political and ideological centre, and it was Rae Bareli that showed the path in the freedom struggle," he said in the over four-minute video.

"Today, the role of Rae Bareli should be one that first shows the path to Uttar Pradesh's progress and development and then Uttar Pradesh should once again show the path of progress and development to India," he also said.

In the last Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi had contested from Amethi but lost to BJP's Smriti Irani. After representing Amethi from 2004 to 2019, he has shifted to Rae Bareli this time.

Taking a swipe at top BJP leaders, he said he has respected his family and shared good ties with all family members and does not allow politics to come in.

"When you do politics, if you do not respect your family and cannot maintain your relations in the family, you cannot keep ties outside (the family) too," he said.

"If you lie in your daily life, you will lie in politics," Gandhi said.

"While going to Rae Bareli, Priyanka and I also passed through the streets of (our) childhood for some time. There are so many sweet and sour memories, grandmother's wisdom, father's favourite jalebis, the cakes made by Priyanka, it seems like it all happened just yesterday," he also said in a post in Hindi on X.

"We have had a deep relationship with politics since childhood, but politics never came between our relationships," he added.

Priyanka Gandhi also urged people to remain focussed on their aim for ensuring development and progress in their lives by using their vote as a weapon.

"Do not get diverted at any level in this election. Remain focussed like Arjun and keep focussing on your target like Arjun's aim on the eyes of fish. You have to remain focussed the same way on your target and your development. Your vote is the biggest weapon in your hand. Use it effectively and this will change your future," she said in the video shared by Rahul Gandhi.