New Delhi: 

Kishori Lal Sharma, a longtime loyalist of the Gandhi family, has been fielded by the Congress from Amethi. The decision was announced this morning, ending weeks of suspense.

Rahul Gandhi, who was expected to make an all-out bid to win back Amethi, has been announced as the party candidate from Raebareli. Mr Gandhi had lost the family bastion - Amethi -in a shock defeat to the BJP's Smriti Irani in 2019.

KL Sharma thanked the party for the opportunity to contest from Amethi - Gandhis' family bastion - in Uttar Pradesh.

"I would like to thank Khargeji, Sonia ji, Rahul ji, and Priyanka ji for giving a "chotte" karyakarta like me an opportunity to contest from a seat that is their family bastion. I will work hard. I have been working in this constituency for the last 40 years," he said.

On BJP's allegations that Gandhis opted out of Amethi because they were "scared", KL Sharma said that Rahul Gandhi is fighting for the whole country.

"Rahul Gandhi is not someone who runs away from the ground. He is fighting for the whole country," he said.

All you need to know about KL Sharma:

1. Kishori Lal Sharma or KL Sharma is from Ludhiana in Punjab and has been associated with the Congress for over four decades.
2. Kishori Lal Sharma first came to Amethi in 1987 and has been working for the party in the constituency since then.
3. Party sources say Kishori Lal Sharma was a close associate of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. His bond with the Gandhi family grew stronger after Rajiv Gandhi's assassination in 1991.
4. KL Sharma, sources say, played a key role in Sonia Gandhi's first win from Amethi in 1999, which earned her a seat in Parliament.
5. Mr Sharma managed party affairs in Amethi and Raebareili after Sonia Gandhi vacated the seat for son Rahul.

Source: NDTV