Rahul Gandhi's namesake, who contested against him in 2019, disqualified
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Days after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's suspension from the Lok Sabha, his namesake has been disqualified by the Election Commission of India (ECI) for failing to give information about the election expenses. According to the ECI, "Rahul Gandhi K E S/o Valsamma" remains disqualified from September 13, 2021 till September 13, 2024 under Section 10A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
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Namesake contested election from Wayanad in 2019
The namesake contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections against former Congress MP Gandhi from Kerala's Wayanad seat as an independent candidate. He polled 2,196 votes, while Gandhi won the election with over seven lakh votes. To note, it is common for namesake independent candidates to challenge established politicians. However, they need to submit information about election expenses under ECI rules.