Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday began his campaign for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, addressing a series of public meetings across the state.
Gandhi left his residence in Delhi earlier in the day and is scheduled to participate in multiple campaign events aimed at mobilising party workers and reaching out to undecided voters. The campaign follows the launch of the United Democratic Front’s (UDF) election push in Kozhikode on March 25.
The Congress-led UDF is seeking to unseat the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), which has been in power in Kerala for nearly a decade. The 140-member Assembly will go to polls in a single phase on April 9, with counting scheduled for May 4. The current Assembly’s tenure ends on May 23.
During his outreach, Gandhi is expected to highlight the UDF’s campaign promises, including welfare measures and governance-related issues. The elections are expected to witness a direct contest between the UDF and the LDF, with approximately 2.7 crore voters eligible to participate.
Ahead of the campaign, Gandhi met senior Congress leaders, including Kannur MP K Sudhakaran, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and MP KC Venugopal.
Earlier, Gandhi had addressed a rally virtually after skipping a scheduled visit to Kerala due to his mother’s hospitalisation in New Delhi.
© instagram.com/rahulgandhiIn his recent campaign remarks, Gandhi also criticised the central government, raising concerns over the state of the economy. He pointed to the depreciation of the rupee, volatility in stock markets, and employment challenges.
Gandhi further questioned the Centre over the India–US interim trade agreement, alleging that it could impact farmers and the country’s energy security. He said the agreement may affect India’s flexibility in sourcing fuel from global markets.
The Centre has maintained that India’s energy policy will continue to be guided by national interest, focusing on availability, pricing, and reliability of supply.
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