The Wayanad Lok Sabha seat, where Rahul Gandhi won for the second consecutive time, comprises three assembly constituencies, each in the Muslim-dominated tribal district of Wayanad and Malappuram, as well as one in Kozhikode district. where Christians have a significant vote base. , reported news agency PTI.
Gandhi edged him out by a margin of over 3.64 lakh votes against his closest rival, CPI’s Annie Raja, in the 2024 Lok Sabha election results. With the Congress scion also winning handsomely from Rae Bareli, doubts remain about which constituency he will resign from now. although she has said that she has not taken a decision on which seat she will represent in the Lok Sabha, PTI reported.
Asked which seat he would represent in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi on Tuesday said: “I have won in both seats and I want to wholeheartedly thank the voters of Rae Bareli and Wayanad. Now I have to decide which seat I will stay in.” We will discuss it and then decide. “I can’t keep both seats, but I haven’t decided yet.”
“You are asking me whether I will remain an MP from Wayanad or Rae Bareli. I want to remain an MP from both. Congratulations to all of you,” the former Congress president had said, PTI reported.
The Congress-led UDF was always confident of the victory of its leader, widely perceived as the Prime Ministerial candidate of the INDIA block, from its bastion Wayanad in the polls held on April 26 ahead of the Lok election results. Sabha 2024.
The BJP and the Left, who had fielded strong candidates to challenge Gandhi, say he will abandon Wayanad if he wins against Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh. Interestingly, there was no confirmation until the completion of the second phase of elections, when Kerala voted in the Lok Sabha polls, about its plans to contest from another seat in the northern region of the country. CPI leader Annie Raja was the Left candidate from the constituency, while BJP state chief K Surendran was tasked with taking on Gandhi and Raja, both leaders of bloc partners INDIA.
Famous for its lush green hills, diverse cultural heritage and significant tribal population, the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency has been a focal point of Indian politics since it gained national attention with Rahul Gandhi’s candidacy in 2019. The constituency, created in 2008 during the delimitation process, it comprises seven assembly segments: Kalpetta, Sulthan Bathery and Mananthavady in Wayanad district; Thiruvambady in Kozhikode; and Nilambur, Wandoor and Eranad in Malappuram, each reflecting the diverse socio-economic fabric of the region. Agriculture, the backbone of Wayanad’s economy, is facing numerous challenges, including fluctuating market prices and crop failure, PTI reported.
The constituency is also grappling with issues related to tribal welfare, environmental conservation and the need for robust infrastructure development. While the UDF campaign focused on Rahul Gandhi’s work in the constituency, highlighting his significant impact in Wayanad since his election in 2019 and his ability to bring a global perspective to local issues, the BJP and the Left responded, alleging his long absence. of the constituency and failure to address key issues affecting people, including human-animal conflict, PTI reported.
The Congress, however, argued that Gandhi had championed several initiatives aimed at improving the lives of people, particularly tribals and the poor, in his constituency. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Gandhi won the Wayanad seat with a significant margin of 4,31,770 votes over his nearest rival, CPI’s PP Suneer.
The voter turnout in Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency during the 2019 elections was 80.31 per cent. This time 73.57 percent of voters voted. The fierce battle in the constituency saw BJP leader Surendran raising an issue over the name of Sulthan Bathery town, associated with Tipu Sultan in Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency. He suggested that the name should be changed as the place was originally known as Ganapathivattom before the Mysore ruler’s invasion of Malabar region in Kerala two centuries ago, PTI reported.
The Congress mocked him saying, “Surendran can say anything.” Rahul Gandhi’s tour in Kalpetta on April 3 attracted national attention during the election campaign. It was visibly different from 2019 in the constituency, when the green flags of the Congress-allied Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) outnumbered those of the Congress in the crowd. This time, the flags were conspicuous by their absence, including those of the Congress, PTI reported.
The tour was attended by all major partners of the UDF, including the IUML, and its workers mostly displayed posters with the image of Gandhi and his electoral symbol, the hand, to add color to the campaign. Party workers also carried balloons of various colors instead of flags. At the height of the 2019 election campaign, BJP leader Amit Shah had criticized Gandhi for contesting from the Kerala constituency, pointing out that during a procession in the area, it was difficult to discern whether it was India or Pakistan, in allusion to the presence of green flags of the IUML during the Congress leader’s tour, a Congress source had said.
The source added that this time the Congress could have chosen not to display flags during the event to avoid possible backlash from the BJP. The CPI(M) had criticized the Congress for not displaying the green flags of its alliance partner Muslim League at Gandhi’s roadshow, alleging that the decision was taken considering its repercussions on north India.
(With input from PTI)