Rahul to contest from Wayanad as well as Amethi
Congress president Rahul Gandhi will contest from Wayanad in Kerala. “Rahul ji has given his consent to contest from two seats, very happy to inform you that he will also contest from Wayanad in Kerala,” Congress leader AK Antony announced.
Rahul’s contesting from the south had been discussed in Congress circles. The proposal was under consideration. Karnataka was tossed up. There was talk that Sivaganga, which was frequently represented by P Chidambaram, would be a constituency from where he would contest. The Sivaganga candidate announcement was delayed, too, although that was attributed to a competing claim from a former Sivaganga MP Sudarshana Nachiappan.
The going has not been smooth for Rahul in Amethi. Even as the rising popularity of BJP contestant Smriti Irani is a niggling worry for the party, the recent defection of party loyalist Haji Haroon Rasheed who has decided to fight as an independent candidate against Gandhi, has threatened the Congress’ future in the constituency. Rasheed, son of Congress loyalist Haji Sultan Khan decided to break away from the party and contest independently from the constituency after he felt sidelined in the Congress. The family has been supporting the Gandhis for the last four decades and Rasheed, who claims to have the allegiance of about 6.5 lakh Muslim voters in the constituency, is confident of securing all their votes against Rahul.
Prime Ministerial candidates have contested from two places in the past. The latest was Narendra Modi in 2014. That move turned out to be positive for the BJP since its tally in UP helped it to form the government. Sonia Gandhi had contested from Rae Bareli as well as Bellari in the past. But Rahul’s move may well be seen as a retreat from a battle with Smriti Irani since it will not mean taking on the BJP but the Left which is a potential ally. Contesting from Karnataka would have sent out a national message that he was taking on the BJP in the southern state as well as helping his party there.
