The Congress on Thursday fielded Ajay Rai from Varanasi to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ending speculation on a possible blockbuster electoral duel between Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and the PM in the Uttar Pradesh temple town.

The 'will she, won't she' suspense finally ended in an anticlimax with the party nominating Rai, who unsuccessfully contested against Modi in 2014 and finished third in the contest behind the BJP leader and Aam Aadmi Party's Arvind Kejriwal.