Congress leader Rahul Gandhi commenced his Lok Sabha election campaign by holding a roadshow in Kerala’s Wayanad on Wednesday, ahead of filing his nomination papers. Wayanad holds significance for Gandhi as he clinched victory with a massive margin of over four lakh votes in the 2019 Parliament polls.
Thousands of party workers and supporters thronged the streets to join the roadshow, where Gandhi was joined by his sister Priyanka Gandhi, along with AICC general secretaries K C Venugopal and Deepa Dasmunshi, as well as Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan and KPCC acting president M M Hassan.
Annie Raja, the Communist Party of India (CPI) Lok Sabha candidate from Wayanad, also filed her nomination on the same day. The CPI, a partner of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front in Kerala, presented Raja as a formidable contender. The contest between Gandhi and Raja highlights the political rivalry between the Congress and the Left in the state.
However, criticism emerged from opposition leaders, including Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who questioned Gandhi’s decision to contest against Annie Raja. Vijayan raised concerns about Gandhi’s absence in national protests, contrasting it with Raja’s active participation.
Subhashini Ali, a leader of the CPI (M), also questioned Gandhi’s candidature from Wayanad, suggesting that he should contest from Uttar Pradesh, a BJP stronghold, to make a significant impact against the ruling party.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Gandhi secured a remarkable victory in Wayanad, defeating LDF candidate PP Suneer by a substantial margin. The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) emerged victorious in 19 out of 20 seats in Kerala, consolidating its position in the state’s political landscape.
