Apart from contesting from his home turf in Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi will contest from Wayanad Seat in Kerela in a run-up to the General elections 2019.
Announcing the development, AK Antony in the presser said, ‘Rahul ji has given his consent to contest from two seats, very happy to inform you that he will also contest from Wayanad in Kerala’.
Commenting on the questions about why Rahul Gandhi is contesting from two seats, Randeep Surjewala said ‘Why did Narendra Modi ji leave Gujarat and contest from Varanasi? Was he not confident in Gujarat? These are immature and childish comments. She(Smriti Irani) will complete a hat-trick of losses’.
Randeep Surjewala on whether Rahul Gandhi not confident in Amethi so contesting on 2 seats: Why did Modi ji leave Gujarat and contest from Varanasi? Was he not confident in Gujarat? These are immature and childish comments. She(Smriti Irani) will complete a hattrick of losses pic.twitter.com/AoDxHvC0y1
— ANI (@ANI) March 31, 2019
The Development came days after continuous demand from the leaders of Congress from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala for Rahul Gandhi to consider contesting from a seat of his choice in their respective states.
However, It seems like Gandhi’s decision to contest from Kerala as the second seat irked the Left. Slammin the Congress President Prakash Karat, CPI(M) ex-General Secretary said ‘Decision of Congress to field Rahul Gandhi from Wayanad shows their priority now is to fight against Left in Kerala’
He added, ‘It goes against Congress’ national commitment to fight BJP, as in Kerala it’s LDF which is the main force fighting BJP there’
Prakash Karat, CPI(M) ex-General Secy: To pick a candidate like Rahul Gandhi against Left means that Congress is going to target the Left in Kerala. This is something which we will strongly oppose & in this election we will work to ensure the defeat of Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad. pic.twitter.com/uIjLgDhxF4
— ANI (@ANI) March 31, 2019
Kerela Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan slammed Congress President. He said, ‘He’s fighting in one of the 20 constituencies(in Kerala) and doesn’t need to be seen as any different. We will fight him. He should have contested from a constituency where BJP is contesting, it’s nothing but a fight against Left.’
Kerala CM P Vijayan on Rahul Gandhi contesting from Wayanad: He's fighting in one of the 20 constituencies(in Kerala)&doesn't need to be seen as any different. We'll fight him.He should've contested from a constituency where BJP is contesting,it's nothing but a fight against Left pic.twitter.com/VYehOrfJb8
— ANI (@ANI) March 31, 2019
Racking up the Congress President, BJP Chief Amit Shah said he is escaping Amethi. Addressing a rally in Bijnor District of Uttar Pradesh, Shah said, ‘Why has he escaped to Kerala? All of you know that this time Rahul Gandhi is done for in Amethi. So he is going to Kerala in a bid to win on the politics of polarisation’.
READ: Check Out the Full List of BJP Candidates for Lok Sabha Polls 2019
Amit Shah in Nagina: I read on WhatsApp that Rahul Gandhi has run towards Kerala, leaving Amethi behind. Why has he escaped to Kerala? All of you know that this time Rahul Gandhi is done for in Amethi. So he is going to Kerala in a bid to win on the politics of polarisation. pic.twitter.com/F0Eyj94s1L
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) March 31, 2019
Sitaram Yechury also trained guns towards Congress and asked Coming here in Kerela and fighting against Left Democratic Front, what message this conveys, that Congress has to decide. ‘Any party can decide which candidate will contest from which seat but what’s the message they want to convey, they will have to explain to people’ He added.
S Yechury on Rahul Gandhi contesting from Wayanad: Coming here&fighting against LDF, what message this conveys, that Congress has to decide. Any party can decide which candidate will contest from which seat but what's the message they want to convey,they'll have to explain to ppl https://t.co/Y0szfX0Gwy
— ANI (@ANI) March 31, 2019
Congress President Rahul Gandhi had in 2014 General Elections defeated Smriti Irani with over 1 lakh votes in his home turf Amethi. However, the decision to contest from South State is seen as a Congress attempt to expand its voter base in the Kerela which has 20 Lok Sabha Seats.
Kerela will go to polls on April 23 in a single round. The Nominations has already started and will continue till April 4, 3 PM.
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