The residents of Wayanad, Kerala, has mixed reactions to Rahul Gandhi’s choice to contest election alongside from Raebareli Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh.
On April 26, there were elections for the Wayanad Lok Sabha, which sparked differing views. Gandhi’s candidature for Raebareli was praised by some but met with criticism from others.
In a Wayanad local store, one person voiced support, saying, “He is leading the INDIA bloc and hence there is nothing wrong in it,” while another conjectured, “If he wins from both the seats, it’s most likely that he will vacate the Wayanad seat.” Another cautiously remarked after giving this some thought: “If he does that, then it might not look good for us. Well, let’s wait.
In contrast, veteran Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader PK Kunhalikutty defended Gandhi’s decision, emphasizing its legitimacy. “The fact of the matter is we (IUML) requested the Congress party’s national leadership that Rahul should contest from one more seat other than Wayanad. Did not PM Modi contest from two seats in the past? We feel that this decision will be a boost for the INDIA bloc,” he remarked.
Gandhi had previously won the 2019 polls from Wayanad but lost the Amethi seat in Uttar Pradesh. This time, in Wayanad, he faced competition from CPI leader Annie Raja and state BJP president K. Surendran.