Rahul Gandhi Hints at Relinquishing Wayanad Seat Amid Dilemma

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, currently in Kerala, expressed uncertainty on Wednesday regarding which Lok Sabha constituency he should relinquish—Wayanad or Rae Bareli. During his visit to Wayanad, Gandhi suggested he might drop the Kerala seat.

State BJP chief K. Surendran, who contested against Gandhi and finished third, labeled Gandhi’s potential decision as “cheating.” Meanwhile, advertisements in Wayanad have appeared, welcoming Gandhi’s sister and party General Secretary, Priyanka Gandhi, to contest the by-election.

Upon arriving at Kozhikode airport, Gandhi traveled to Edavana in Malappuram district, part of his constituency, where he received a warm welcome. In his first public meeting, he acknowledged his dilemma between Wayanad and Rae Bareli. “Unfortunately, unlike Prime Minister Modi, I am not guided by god, as I am a human being… My god is the poor people of India. My god is the people of Wayanad… Whatever decision is taken, all of you will be happy,” Gandhi stated.

At another meeting in Kalpetta, Wayanad, Gandhi emphasized his enduring relationship with the constituency, transcending elections or votes. “Speculations have started whether it’s Wayanad or Rae Bareli. Everybody knows the answer except me. In politics, all know except the person who has to make the decision. Don’t worry, the people at Rae Bareli and Wayanad will be happy with the decision I will be making,” he assured.

Gandhi acknowledged the issues in Wayanad, including man-animal conflicts, night travel, and healthcare, promising that these concerns would be addressed.

State Congress President and Kannur MP K. Sudhakaran expressed mixed emotions, stating, “The victory of the Congress and Rahul’s wins makes me happy, but his leaving Wayanad makes me sad.”

Conversely, Surendran accused Gandhi of deceiving Wayanad’s voters. “We had told the voters that he would ditch Wayanad. Earlier he said Wayanad’s people are his family, but now he says it’s Rae Bareli’s people who are his family… He did not even have the courtesy to tell the voters of Wayanad before the elections that he would vacate it. Now that a by-election is thrust on the voters of Wayanad, they will give the Congress an apt reply,” Surendran remarked.

Gandhi retained his Wayanad seat with a reduced margin of 3.64 lakh votes, compared to 4.37 lakh in 2019.