'Rahul Gandhi To Face Same Fate As Amethi': Kerala BJP Chief K Surendran On His LS Faceoff In Wayanad

On Sunday, the BJP central leadership announced K. Surendran as the party's candidate to contest against two prominent figures of the I.N.D.I.A alliance, Rahul Gandhi and Annie Raja, in the election.

New Delhi: BJP Kerala chief K Surendran who has been fielded as the party's candidate for Wayanad in a constituency where Rahul Gandhi won by a margin of over 4 lakh votes in 2019, said on Monday that the Congress leader would face the same outcome as in Amethi.  The upcoming Lok Sabha election in Kerala took an interesting turn with the candidature of Surendran being announced for the Wayanad constituency where Rahul Gandhi is contesting to retain his seat, while the Left Front has fielded senior CPI leader Annie Raja. 

On Sunday, the BJP central leadership announced K. Surendran as the party's candidate to contest against two prominent figures of the I.N.D.I.A bloc, Rahul Gandhi and Annie Raja, in the election. This move eyes a constituency where the NDA candidate secured only 7.25 per cent of the vote share during the 2019 polls, reported PTI. 

While talking to the media following the announcement of his candidacy, Surendran said that Rahul Gandhi would meet a fate in Wayanad akin to his previous electoral setback in Amethi. "Wayanad is a constituency where there is a development crisis. Rahul Gandhi has done nothing for the constituency. He will meet the same fate in Wayanad as he encountered in Amethi last time", Surendran said.  

Gandhi secured victory in Wayanad by defeating CPI's P P Suneer with a substantial margin of over 4.31 lakh votes, while the BJP ally Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) nominee Thushar Vellappally garnered comparatively fewer votes.

"The central leadership has entrusted me with a responsibility. They have asked to take up the fight in Wayanad constituency", Surendran remarked. He further emphasised that the people would raise questions over the rationale behind senior leaders of the I.N.D.I.A bloc contesting against each other in the same region.

LDF Candidate Annie Raja Expresses Confidence Of Win In Wayanad

Meanwhile, Annie Raja of the Left parties clarified that candidature decisions are not influenced by opposing candidates. BJP-led NDA's delayed announcement of their candidate for the Wayanad seat with the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF)'s proactive move in nominating Annie Raja well ahead of the Congress party's announcement. "We are much ahead in the campaigning. We have reached out to all sections of society. The response of the voters boosts our confidence", she told the media.  

Notably, the mountainous district of Wayanad faces multiple issues, including a rise in human-animal conflict, among other factors, which may sway voters.  The ruling CPI(M) and the opposition Congress in the state have been seeking to amend the Wildlife (Protection) Act, a Central Act, to deal with wild animal attacks, as per PTI.

Meanwhile, the BJP and the central government maintain that the provisions are adequate and the state government just needs to implement them properly. Gandhi first contested from the Wayanad seat in 2019 when he stood from Amethi as well. He lost Amethi to BJP's Smriti Irani.