Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll: CPI to field candidate against Priyanka Gandhi 

The CPI on Tuesday said that it will field a candidate against Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the Wayanad Lok Sabha by-poll. The CPI holds the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and its candidate would contest in the by-election, CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam. "What is doubt in it? The CPI and the LDF will not do anything that is favourable to the BJP. So, we will certainly field our candidate there," he said.

In the recent Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi won from Wayanad. Senior CPI leader Annie Raja had contested against Rahul but lost the elections by a huge margin. The BJP had also fielded its state chief against Gandhi. However, the saffron party came third and could secure just 13 per cent of votes.

On Monday, the Congress announced that Rahul Gandhi would retain Rae Bareli and Priyanka Gandhi will contest from Wayanad. When asked about Priyanka's candidature, the CPI leader said the Congress has all the freedom to choose its candidate in any segment. He said if the Congress party's plan was to vacate Wayanad, there was no need for them to bring a prominent leader like Rahul Gandhi to the south.

After a leadership meeting in New Delhi, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday said Rahul will keep the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh and vacate the Wayanad seat from where his sister Priyanka will contest. Rahul had won both from Wayanad and Rae Bareli constituencies.

(With inputs from PTI)