Yesterday, Kerala Congress Committee Chief, Mullapally Ramachandran, stated that Congress President Rahul Gandhi is likely to contest election from Wayanad constituency. A formal announcement is expected for later today. The central unit of the party clarified that the request is being “positively considered” by the high command.
Not to forget that the grand old party had earlier announced Rahul’s candidature from Amethi, where he will contest against Union Minister Smriti Irani. However, in order to boost the declining morale of party cadre, several Congress leaders of southern states have urged the Gandhi scion to contest the Lok Sabha election from their regions.
AICC General Secy Oommen Chandy: We're requesting Rahul Gandhi to contest from South India. We requested him to contest from Wayanad constituency. We hope decision will be positive. I've discussed it with the proposed candidate for Wayanad constituency & he welcomed it. #Kerala pic.twitter.com/KNttDug1r0
— ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2019
“We have been requesting him (Gandhi) for some time (to contest from the state). When he visited the state in March first week we reminded him again. He is positive about this and a formal announcement will be made soon,” said Kerala Congress Committee Chief Mullapally Ramachandran.
Speaking of ‘the request’, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, “Congress workers and people of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala have urged Rahul Gandhi to contest the Lok Sabha from these states”. He further urged that central functionary of the Congress party will take a decision on the issue soon. “We thank them for their effort and also their expression of love and affection. The Congress president will positively consider it,” added Surjewala.
However, it seems that the ‘positive consideration’ of Congress is a ploy to hide the fact that Amethi is no more a safe seat for them. In the Lok Sabha election of 2014, the then BJP candidate from Amethi, Smriti Irani, gave a tough fight to the Gandhi scion and it is speculated that he may not be able to win back his seat. So, the Congress party is considering fielding him from Wayanad seat. Moreover, the selection of Wayanad seat is an interesting one. The demography of Wayanad spells sure win for Rahul Gandhi as Muslim and Christian minorities together outnumber Hindu majority.
It is alarmingly dangerous for India that politics is now decided on religious grounds. In 2014 general election, Congress party won 44 seats; if the party is not sure of winning back the Amethi seat, they may have fielded him from any other seat but the fact that Wayanad has been chosen shows that Congress today is unconfident of winning in any Hindu majority constituency.
Wayanad is a rural district in Kerala and shares its borders with Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Interestingly, it has been a stronghold of Congress party. BJP leader Smriti Irani, who is contesting against Gandhi from Amethi, said, “Vacate the throne Rahul Ji for the public is coming”. She further added that Gandhi’s candidature from Wayanad is an eyewash.