With Rahul Gandhi deciding to contest the Raebareli Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh as well, there were mixed reactions from people in Kerala’s Wayanad.
Elections were held in Wayanad Lok Sabha seat on April 26. While some people said there was nothing wrong for him to contest Raebareli too, there were some who said it was wrong on his part.
At a wayside shop in Wayanad, one person said there was nothing wrong with Mr Gandhi’s decision to contest from two seats. “He is leading the INDIA bloc and hence there is nothing wrong in it,” while another said, “if he wins from both the seats, it’s most likely that he will vacate the Wayanad seat.”
“If he does that, then it might not look good for us. Anyway let us wait,” said another.
However, veteran Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader PK Kunhalikutty said there was nothing wrong at all in his decision to contest from Raebareli as well.
“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,” said Mr Kunhalikutty.
Rahul Gandhi won the 2019 polls from Wayanad but lost the Amethi seat in Uttar Pradesh. This time at Wayanad, he was pitted against CPI leader Annie Raja and state BJP president K. Surendran.