Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi arrived in Kerala on Wednesday. Rahul Gandhi will lead a roadshow at Kalpetta town ahead of the Priyanka Gandhi’s nomination filing for the Wayanad by-polls.
Upon their arrival at Sultan Bathery, a town in Kerala, the duo were greeted by party leaders and workers.
Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal and a host of other leaders will also be present during the nomination filing. Priyanka Gandhi will file her nomination papers at the district collector’s office at Kalpetta.
Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) National General Secretary PK Kunhalikutty said that thousand of people in Wayanad will join the nomination rally of Priyanka Gandhi.
“Last time he (Rahul Gandhi) contested from UP and he won… The Gandhi family can contest from anywhere in India. They can contest from Lakshadweep, Wayanad or UP, they have proven that. Last time they made propaganda about Rahul Ji and what happened afterwards. He won from Raebareli also… You will see that after some time thousands of people will come to Wayanad and follow her (Priyanka Gandhi Vadra) to the nomination place. This is going to be a big event here today,” he said.
According to the Congress, Priyanka Gandhi will address a public meeting at 11: 45 am at Gudalai, opposite, KWA Office, Kalpetta.
The Wayanad seat was vacated by the LoP Rahul Gandhi who retained the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha Constituency.
Gandhi is up against Navya Haridas, a candidate fielded by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) candidate Sathyan Mokeri. Haridas is a two-time Kozhikode Corporation councillor.
Rahul Gandhi had said both Rae Bareli and Wayanad would get two MPs and had also expressed confidence in Priyanka Gandhi winning from Wayanad.
If Priyanka Gandhi wins from Wayanad, she will be the third person from the Gandhi family to enter Parliament.
Meanwhile, Indian Youth Congress chief Uday Bhanu Chib told ANI, “A new chapter is about to be written in the history of India. Priyanka ji will file her nomination from Wayanad. Preparations have been made. She raises the voices of women and youth across the country. This voice will now echo in Parliament too.”
On BJP criticising her candidature, he retorted, “Perhaps the BJP is unable to tolerate their loss in Ayodhya. They will soon lose in Nagpur too. They speak about Wayanad and Lakshadweep, I would like to tell the BJP that we are Indians and the whole of India is our home. We can go anywhere and contest from anywhere.”
Priyanka Gandhi was responsible for taking care of the Gandhi family’s stronghold in Amethi and Rae Bareli before entering active politics, where she emerged as an important strategist for her party.
The by-poll in the Wayanad is scheduled to be held on November 13.