Lok Sabha Elections 2019: "Kindly contest from Karnataka": Congress unit writes a letter to Rahul Gandhi

Karnataka Congress on Monday wrote to party president Rahul Gandhi inviting him to contest Lok Sabha polls from state. In a letter to Congress chief ahead of his rally in Kalaburagi, Karnataka Congress President Dinesh Gundu Rao said his candidature from Karnataka will boost party's rank and file in entire south India.

" Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee takes pride to invite you to kindly contest from Karnataka in coming Lok Sabha election. Our state has stood by Congress party whenever we were in troubled times. present scenario in India is that our party will emerge stronger in ensuing elections," Mr Rao said.

Mr Rao said ruling "NDA is losing its shine and our alliance in south is on a strong wicket".

Congress, earlier this month, had anunced that Rahul Gandhi will contest from his bastion Amethi and Sonia Gandhi from Rae Bareli. Former chief minister Siddaramaiah on Friday had tweeted that Karnataka unit of Congress wants Rahul Gandhi to contest upcoming Lok Sabha polls from state.

Read: Siddaramaiah Requests Rahul Gandhi To Contest 2019 Elections From Karnataka

Calling Rahul Gandhi "next Prime Minister of India", Congress Legislature Party leader had recalled his grandmor Indira Gandhi and mor Sonia Gandhi contesting Lok Sabha polls from Karnataka in past.

Pointing out that Indira Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi contested and won polls from Karnataka, Mr Rao said,

"Sir, your acceptance to contest will be enthusiastically welcomed by our party workers and this decision by you will give very good mess across south India."

While Indira Gandhi had scripted her political comeback from Chikkamagaluru in Karnataka after Emergency by winning Lok Sabha bypolls in 1978, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi had contested and won from Ballari in 1999, trouncing Sushma Swaraj.

Interestingly, Congress has ceded Chikkamagaluru seat to its alliance partner JD(S) this time, while Ballari remains with grand old party.

request comes amid reports about demands within Congress party for Rahul Gandhi to contest from one of seats in South.