THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Wayanad, which has shot into prominence nationally and internationally with Congress president Rahul Gandhi deciding to seek the people’s mandate from there, has little in common with Amethi in Uttar Pradesh that has been the pocket borough of the Nehru-Gandhi family since the eighties.
Wayanad constituency, located in the high ranges of Kerala and formed just ten years ago, has elected Congress candidates twice.
There may not be any substance in the charge that Rahul Gandhi is running away to Wayanad to seek minority votes because Amethi has more percentage of Muslims than Wayanad.
As per the 2011 census, the percentage of Muslims in Wayanad is 28.65 whereas it is 33.04 in Amethi.
Wayanad
Wayanad was the 12th district of Kerala formed in 1980. Located 700 metres to 2,100 metres above the mean sea level, it is a high altitude area with 885 sq km under forest cover. The religion-based population break-up as per the 2011 census is: Hindus 49.48 per cent, Muslims 28.65 percent and Christians 21.34 per cent.
As per the 2011 census, Wayanad district had a population of 8,16,558. The sex ratio is 1,035 females per 1,000 males and the literacy rate is 89.32 per cent which is the lowest in the state. The seven Assembly constituencies of Wayan-ad are Manathav-ady, Kalpetta, Sultan Bathery, Thiruvambady, Nilamb-ur, Wandoor and Eranad.
Amethi
The Amethi Lok Sabha constituency, which covers almost the entire Amethi district, was created in 1967. The constituency has been the launching pad for the Gandhi family.
Those who have represented Amethi include Sanjay Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and now Rahul Gandhi. Agriculture is the main occupation of the people with wheat and rice accounting for 94 per cent output. In 2013, Amethi’s population was 15,00,000.
The four Assembly constituencies are Gauriganj, Jagdishpur, Amethi and Tiloli. The nearest airport, Chaudhary Charan Singh airport, is 137 km from Amethi. It has a literacy rate of 60 per cent and sex ratio of 965/1000. The religion-wise population is: Hindus, 66.5 per cent and Muslims, 33.04 per cent.
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