New Delhi, India, February 20 (HBTV): Former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, bowing out of Lok Sabha, has been elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan.                   

In a surprise move, the 77-year-old had filed her nomination from Jaipur — the seat held by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh — earlier this month.

Gandhi has been representing Raebareli in the Lok Sabha since 2006. She had won the seat even in 2019, when the Congress performance was at its all-time low and Rahul Gandhi lost the other family turf of Uttar Pradesh -- Amethi -- to the BJP's Smriti Irani. 

Gandhi's shift -- while seen as marking a generational shift in the Congress -- was greeted by the BJP as a virtual admission of defeat in the coming Lok Sabha election.    

Sonia Gandhi became the second Gandhi family member to secure a seat in the Rajya Sabha, as the former Congress president was elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan on Tuesday.

Gandhi had stated during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections that it was the last time she was contesting in the general elections. This is the first stint in the Upper House for the 77-year-old leader, who is a five-term lawmaker of the Lok Sabha.

(Inputs from various news agencies)