News18 Daybreak | Rahul Gandhi Chooses Kerala's Wayanad as Second Seat and Other Stories You Need to Watch Out For

What to Watch Out For

Days after speculation arose of Rahul Gandhi contesting from Wayanad, the Congress on Sunday announced that the party chief will be filing his second nomination, after Amethi, from the Kerala constituency.

The decision is seen as an attempt by the Congress to consolidate its electoral base in South India, especially Kerala which has 20 Lok Sabha seats.

Going south: “Congress president Rahul Gandhi has said that he will represent Amethi but will also represent southern states as they are an important part of India's way of life," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.

The move is expected to accentuate the wedge between the Congress and Communists, two consistent, credible and powerful anti-BJP poles, undermining the electoral momentum against the RSS’s Hindutva ideology, and second, it will give avoidable fodder to Union minister Smriti Irani to run a campaign that the Congress president is afraid of losing his Amethi seat.

Read Kay Benedict analysis here.

He said she said: In a scathing attack against Congress over the decision, Aam Admi Party questioned the party’s intention behind fielding Rahul Gandhi from Wayanad.

“Instead of concentrating attention on removing a dictatorial and anti-federal regime, the Congress seems to be dividing votes where the anti-BJP forces are strong. Look at what the Congress is doing in UP, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh" the AAP leader said.

Union Law Minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad also took a potshot at Rahul Gandhi saying that the decision was taken as the party chief is feeling “uncomfortable, insecure and helpless in Amethi.”

 The CPI(M) and CPI also took a swipe at Congress saying that the move indicates that the party wants to take on the Left in Kerala and asserted that they will work to ensure his defeat.

“It goes against the Congress' national commitment to fight the BJP, as in Kerala, it is the LDF (Left Democratic Front) which is the main force fighting the BJP there," CPI(M) politburo member Prakash Karat told reporters.

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