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.
Ajay Rai had contested unsuccessfully against Modi in 2014.
The Congress also announced Madhusdan Tiwari as its candidate from Gorakhpur.
--IANS
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