Wayanad Lok Sabha seat is one of the key constituencies in the Lok Sabha elections 2024. This Kerala seat has been a Congress stronghold since 2008 and witnessed a gripping three-cornered battle in the elections this time. In Wayanad, the incumbent MP Rahul Gandhi is in the fray against BJP’s seasoned player K Surendran and CPI’s Annie Raja.
Though CPI and Congress are part of the I.N.D.I.A bloc, the parties have decided to fight their respective political battles in the southern state.
The Wayanad seat comprises Kozhikode, Wayanad, and Malappuram districts, and has a diverse rural electorate including Hindus, Muslims, and Christian voters.
The intriguing aspect of the political battle here in Wayanad is that the MP Rahul Gandhi is also contesting from Raebareli as well, which is another Congress bastion. This has turned the battle into an interesting one as the Congress leader will have to decide which seat to give up, if he ends up winning both.
According to the Axis My India-India Today exit polls, announced on June 1, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala is headed for a clean sweep, winning 18 out of 20 seats.
Outcomes seem positive for the Bharatiya Janata Party as well, as the party might actually end up bagging 2-3 seats, making its political debut,
The News18 Mega Exit Poll projected that the UDF will likely win 15 to 18 seats, securing a favorable outcome for the grand old party, yet again.
Although BJP might make its breakthrough, the Wayanad MP is expected to retain the seat due to strong support from the minority and tribal communities in the state.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Gandhi scion won the Wayanad seat after defeating his rival CPI’s PP Suneer.Rahul Gandhi had secured 706,367 votes against the CPI candidate Suneer, who garnered 2,74,597 votes.
Previously, MI Shanavas had led Congress to claim the Wayanad seat after winning the 2009 and 2014 Lok Sabha elections. In 2019, Congress bagged 15 out of 20 seats in Kerala, contributing a major part of the UDF's 19-seat tally. The remaining parties including CPI(M), the Revolutionary Socialist Party, and Kerala Congress (M), and the BJP trailed behind.
Wayanad’s political fight is crucial, not only for the candidates, but also for the southern state’s political landscape. As the BJP is looking forward to establishing its foothold in the Left-dominated Kerala, its political breakthrough here could alter the political dynamics for the elections ahead.
However, the grand old party, as projected, might continue to hold the key constituency of Wayand for another tenure. The official results that are slated to be declared on June 4 will unveil whether the exit polls stand true and how many states BJP ends up bagging.