Rahul Gandhi, a prominent leader of the Congress party, has officially entered the electoral fray by submitting his nomination papers from Wayanad. Rahul, accompanied by his sister Priyanka Gandhi and other senior party leaders including AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal, submitted his nomination papers to the Wayanad District Collector who is also the Returning Officer.
In a show of strength and solidarity, Rahul spearheaded a grand roadshow in Wayanad, Kerala, on Wednesday, marking the commencement of his nomination filing process for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Adding to the fervor, his sister and Congress General Secretary, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, stood by his side throughout the event. Having clinched victory in the Wayanad constituency during the 2019 Parliamentary polls with an impressive margin exceeding four lakh votes, Rahul Gandhi arrived at Muppainad village via helicopter before embarking on a road journey to Kalpetta, as confirmed by party sources.
At the conclusion of the road show, addressing the public he said that he is always with the people of the constituency on all issues, including the human-animal conflict which has claimed many lives in this district.
He also said that Wayanad was his home, the people were his family and the land, with its beautiful history and traditions, his “guiding light”. “I am deeply grateful to the people of Wayanad for their unwavering support. As we step into a new era of ‘Nyay’, I want to reaffirm my dedication to serving each and every one of you to the best of my abilities,” he said.
Kerala is gearing up for the Lok Sabha elections, scheduled for April 26, with all 20 parliamentary seats up for grabs. Rahul Gandhi faces stiff competition from CPI leader Annie Raja and BJP’s state president K Surendran in the Wayanad constituency.
In the 2019 polls, Rahul Gandhi secured a resounding victory from Wayanad, clinching the seat with the highest margin in the state. However, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan criticised Rahul’s decision to contest against CPI leader Annie Raja, questioning its alignment with the vision of the I.N.D.I.A bloc.