Lok Sabha polls: It’s Rahul Gandhi from Wayanad

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congressmen in Kerala have heaved a sigh of relief with party president Rahul Gandhi ending his dithering over Wayanad and deciding to fight it out from there. Senior leader A. K. Antony announced the ‘happiest news’ at a press meet in New Delhi on Sunday saying that his candidature will boost the Congress prospects in the three states of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu as Wayand is a tri-junction.

Rahul may file his nomination on Wednesday, a day before the deadline ends.

Rahul Gandhi, 48, will contest from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh as well. Earlier, Antony, K. C. Venugopal, Ahmed Patel and AICC general secretary in-charge of the state, Mukul Wasnik held closed-door talks at AICC headquarters and decided not to convey any negative sentiments against the Left, but only target the BJP. "For the last one week, there were requests and demands from the Congress workers and party leaders that Rahul Gandhi should contest from South India. We urged Rahul that it is not fair to ignore the unanimous request from southern states," said Antony.

A top AICC leader told DC that there were discussions about the pros and cons of Rahul Gandhi contesting from Wayanad.

"The Congress is contesting from 16 seats and the allies from four. Antony, Venugopal and Mukul Wasnik held surveys about Rahul Gandhi’s candidature," he said.

They felt that if he contests from Wayanad, the UDF may win 17-18 seats. If not, the number may be 12 - 13. This led Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to decide on Wayanad sidelining Karnataka as the Congress is looking forward to getting maximum seats from south.

“This is a surgical strike enacted by the top AICC leadership to prevent the CPM from winning more seats. The AICC feels that if the Left manages to get less than five seats, its recognition as a national party will be cancelled. There will be any alliance only if the Congress gets more seats,” he said.

The AICC is expected to release the election manifesto on Tuesday.

AICC’s chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said it was a message to the southern states that they are deeply valued and respected. Rahul Gandhi will represent Amethi and the southern states as they are an important part of India's way of life, he said. On BJP's criticism that Rahul Gandhi is running away for fear of a setback in Amethi, Surjewala said: "Why doesn't BJP say why Modiji left Gujarat and went to Varanasi? Does that mean that his condition was bad in Gujarat? Instead of discussing these things, they should discuss key political issues. Why is BJP so scared?" he asked. 

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