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The BJP and CPI have doubled down on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for not informing voters of Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency of his plan to contest from two constituencies before they went to the polls.
Congress on Monday announced that Rahul Gandhi will give up his Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency to retain the Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli seat, paving the way for his sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, to contest her maiden elections. The party fielded Priyanka Gandhi from Wayanad for the bye-election. BJP leader Anil Antony said, "Rahul Gandhi till the last minute hid from the people of Wayanad that he was contesting from another place," Antony said, "Congress party, through each of its actions, is showing that it is a party by a family, of a party and for a family. The country has full faith in our PM Modi and his vision...The choice is clear for the people, either to choose a party which only stands for a family or choose a party or an alliance that works for the country." Annie Raja who was pitted against Rahul Gandhi in the recently concluded Lok Sabha election said that to field Priyanka Gandhi from the constituency in North Kerala is an internal matter of the Congress party but Rahul Gandhi should have informing the people of Wayanad that he was going to contest from another constituency as well. "I had said this that time (during elections) also that to keep political morality, Rahul Gandhi should've informed the voters because they had given him a huge majority and victory. Voters should have been informed that he was planning to contest from another constituency. He didn't inform this, that's an injustice to the voters of Wayanad," Raja said. The CPI(M) leader added, "Our party congress has passed a unanimous political resolution saying that to defeat communal fascist forces the need of the hour is to coming together of Left Democratic and secular forces. Accordingly, we worked and the INDIA alliance platform is now there. My party will take a call on that (whether to field a candidate in Wayanad or not) and definitely that will strengthen the INDIA alliance." Meanwhile, Congress and its allies in Kerala welcomed Priyanka Gandhi contesting from Wayanad. "Indian Union Muslim League has already welcomed (the decision). It is a very good decision. Priyanka Gandhi will win with a thumping majority...This will definitely strengthen INDIA Alliance. What is important now is to strengthen INDIA Alliance, her presence in the Parliament will definitely be important for that. So, we welcome it," PK Kunhalikutty, National General Secretary IUML. "I think the people of Kerala are very clear. I have seen the people of Kerala have decided that the state should be run by the Communist Party and the centre should be run by the Congress party. So even last time they had made CPM win the state elections and they had made the Congress win the parliament elections and sent 20 MPs to the parliament. So they are very decisive. I think Priyanka Gandhi is contesting from Wayanad and she will win with a very good margin," DMK leader TKS Elangovan told ANI. Rahul Gandhi today formally informed the Lok Sabha Speaker's office about retaining the Raebareli Lok Sabha seat and vacating the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat. He has submitted the letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker for this. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge announced Priyanka Gandhi's candidature from Wayanad at a special press conference on Monday. If Priyanka Gandhi wins from Wayanad, three members of the Nehru-Gandhi family will be in Parliament - Sonia Gandhi in Rajya Sabha and Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi in the Lok Sabha. (ANI)
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