GUWAHATI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi submitted his application to run for the Wayanad parliamentary seat in Kerala on Wednesday.
Gandhi was joined by prominent leaders like KPCC president K Sudhakaran, Ramesh Chennithala, PK Kunhailikutty, and Panakkad Sayed Abbas Ali Shihab Thangal.
He submitted the nomination papers to Wayanad District Collector Renu Raj at her office in Kalpetta.
Before filing the nominations, Rahul Gandhi led a large procession through Kalpetta town, showcasing the strong support from the United Democratic Front (UDF) workers in the seven assembly constituencies that fall under the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat.
Rahul Gandhi is up against strong competitors in Wayanad, including CPI leader Annie Raja and BJP’s state president K Surendran.
In the 2019 elections, Rahul Gandhi won by a large margin in Wayanad, the highest in the state. However, his choice to run against Annie Raja was criticized by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who questioned its alignment with the vision of the INDIA bloc.
Surendran also took a dig at Gandhi for not being present in the constituency during important times like floods and the COVID-19 epidemic.
The campaigning for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections is at its peak, with political parties and the public completely prepared for the voting.
The Lok Sabha polls will be held in seven phases, starting on April 19. Along with the 534 Lok Sabha seats, the Election Commission of India has also blazoned Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Odisha, as well as by-polls for 26 vacant assembly seats.
Votes will be counted on June 4. To form the government at the Center, the support of at least 272 MPs in the Lok Sabha is demanded.
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