Rahul Gandhi to contest from Wayanad for second time despite opposition from Left: Sources
Rahul Gandhi moved to Wayanad from Amethi in 2019 and won the seat by a record margin. However, the Left parties have opposed his candidature from Wayanad, saying he should be taking on the BJP somewhere in the North.
- Mar 7, 2024,
- Updated Mar 7, 2024 1:42 PM IST
Lok Sabha Polls 2024: Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi will be contesting from Kerala's Wayanad for the second time, sources told India Today on Thursday. Gandhi's name is likely to be declared today after the first meeting of Congress' Central Election Committee (CEC).
Gandhi moved to Wayanad from Amethi in 2019 and won the seat by a record margin. However, the Left parties have opposed his candidature from Wayanad, saying he should be taking on the BJP somewhere in the North.
The BJP does not have strong presence in Kerala, while the Left, which is part of the INDIA alliance, is dominant in the southern state. The Left believes that Rahul Gandhi contesting from Wayanad would be a waste as here the saffron party is not even a factor. The CPI has fielded senior party leader Annie Raja from Wayanad.
On February 27, CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat said Rahul Gandhi and Congress needed to think about contesting from Wayanad. "They say that their fight is against BJP. In Kerala, if you come and fight against Left, what message are you giving? So they need to think about their seat once again."
She said the CPI has declared its candidate for the seat in Wayanad, Comrade Annie Raja, who has played a key role in 'Mahila Andholan'. "Now she will be the candidate from the side of the whole LDF."
Kerala has 20 Lok Sabha seats. The Congress had won 15, while the rest went to the Left parties in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Lok Sabha Polls 2024: Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi will be contesting from Kerala's Wayanad for the second time, sources told India Today on Thursday. Gandhi's name is likely to be declared today after the first meeting of Congress' Central Election Committee (CEC).
Gandhi moved to Wayanad from Amethi in 2019 and won the seat by a record margin. However, the Left parties have opposed his candidature from Wayanad, saying he should be taking on the BJP somewhere in the North.
The BJP does not have strong presence in Kerala, while the Left, which is part of the INDIA alliance, is dominant in the southern state. The Left believes that Rahul Gandhi contesting from Wayanad would be a waste as here the saffron party is not even a factor. The CPI has fielded senior party leader Annie Raja from Wayanad.
On February 27, CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat said Rahul Gandhi and Congress needed to think about contesting from Wayanad. "They say that their fight is against BJP. In Kerala, if you come and fight against Left, what message are you giving? So they need to think about their seat once again."
She said the CPI has declared its candidate for the seat in Wayanad, Comrade Annie Raja, who has played a key role in 'Mahila Andholan'. "Now she will be the candidate from the side of the whole LDF."
Kerala has 20 Lok Sabha seats. The Congress had won 15, while the rest went to the Left parties in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.