New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday cleared the candidature of Ajay Rai in the Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency, scotching speculation that General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi may be fielded there to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In 2014 elections Ajay Rai had received only 75,000 votes and was the third highest vote-getter from the constituency after PM Narendra Modi and Delhi CM Arvind Kejrival.
There were talks that the Congress would field Priyanka Gandhi as a Brahmastra against PM Modi in Varanasi but had maintained it as suspense.
When Priyanka Gandhi concluded her boat ride in Varanasi many considered it as Congress party’s readiness to take on Modi head on. The party or its leadership did nothing to stop the rumours of Priyanka Gandhi contesting against PM Modi in Varanasi.
Priyanka Gandhi who was in charge of the campaigning in the Eastern UP had repeatedly accused PM Modi of not visiting even one family in any of the villages of Varanasi in last five years.
Varanasi will be voting in the last phase of the seven-phase general elections on May 19.
