Sonia Gandhi pens open letter of thanks to people of Raebareli

NEW DELHI: A day after she filed her nomination for a Rajya Sabha berth from Rajasthan, Congress Parliamentary Party leader Sonia Gandhi on Thursday sent an open letter of thanks to the people of her Raebareli constituency even as she expressed her hope that they would stand by her and her family in future. While Gandhi cited health issues and advancing age for opting out of the electoral contest after representing Rae Bareli in the Lok Sabha five times in a row, there is suspense on whether her daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra would contest from the family seat this time. Vadra, meanwhile, is scheduled to join her brother Rahul Gandhi on Friday in his ongoing yatra when it enters Uttar Pradesh.

"I am proud to say that whatever I am today, I am because of you and I have always done my best to honour your trust. Now, on account of health and age issues, I will not contest the next Lok Sabha election," Sonia Gandhi said in her letter in Hindi.

While recollecting the long association the Nehru-Gandhi family has with Raebareli, she said, "After this decision, I will not have the opportunity to serve you directly, but my heart and soul will always remain with you. I know that you will stand by me and my family in future, just as you have in the past". She has promised to visit Raebareli soon.