Cong chief picks Kerala besides Amethi; Left vows to trounce RaGa
The Congress on Sunday ended weeks of speculation about party president Rahul Gandhi contesting from two seats in the Lok Sabha polls. It is now official: Rahul will be in the fray from Wayanad in Kerala besides his traditional stronghold of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.
Wayanad district is in the north eastern part of Kerala touching border with Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and houses various tribal groups of the latter. The area was badly affected in the last year’s floods.
While the Congress said it was part of strategy to improve the party’s prospects in south India, the BJP was quick to claim that Rahul’s decision reflected his fear of losing from Amethi seat.
Veteran Congress leader from Kerala and former Defence Minister AK Antony made this announcement at a Press conference here on Sunday, saying Rahul had consented to fighting from Wayanad following requests from the party’s State unit.
The decision is seen as an attempt by the Congress to consolidate its electoral base in south India, especially Kerala which has 20 Lok Sabha seats. Tamil Nadu has 39 Lok Sabha seats and Karnataka has 28. Congress leaders also feel that since Wayanad is strategically located on the border of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, Rahul’s presence on this seat will galvanise Congress workers in all the three States.
“This is a message to the southern States that they are deeply valued and respected. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has said he will represent Amethi but will also represent southern States as they are an important part of India’s way of life,” Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, adding Amethi is Rahul’s “karmabhoomi” and he will never leave it.
Reacting to the development, CPI(M) Politburo member Prakash Karat said the decision of the Congress to field Rahul from Wayanad shows that the party wants to take on the Left in Kerala.
“Their priority now is to fight against the Left in Kerala. It goes against Congress’ national commitment to fight BJP, as in Kerala it’s LDF which is the main force fighting BJP there,” he told reporters. The CPI(M) ex-general secretary said his party will work to ensure the defeat of Rahul in Wayanad.
BJP chief Amit Shah too took a dig at Rahul. “Congress’ votebank politics has worked on playing with the security of the country. It is the result of this that Rahul Gandhi has left Amethi and run away to Kerala because he knows that voters will seek account from him in Amethi this time,” Shah said.
Earlier, Surjewala said the State units of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu had requested him to contest from south India at a time when there is attack on the language and culture from the Modi Government, he said.
“This is a fight to espouse the aspirations of south India. This is a fight to give a befitting reply to those forces that attack cultures, languages, way of life and also the deep connect between north and south India, where the BJP has created a division,” he said State.