Lok Sabha Elections 2024: LDF, BJP in Kerala criticise Rahul Gandhi's nomination from Raebareli

Thiruvananthapuram: The CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front and the BJP in Kerala lashed out at Rahul Gandhi on Friday for filing his nomination from Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh for the Lok Sabha polls.

They alleged that the Congress leader cheated the people of Wayanad in Kerala, where he contested the general election on April 26, and said that fighting polls from another seat "does not align with political morality".

Gandhi, the sitting MP of Wayanad, today filed his nomination papers from Raebareli. The Congress, however, justified the decision, saying that contesting from Raebareli was an emotional matter for him as it had been represented by his grandmother Indira Gandhi and later by his mother Sonia Gandhi.

"The party had entrusted the decision on Amethi and Raebareli seats with the Congress president. After discussing with the senior leadership the party asked Rahul Gandhi to contest in Raebareli and he agreed," said AICC general secretary in-charge of Organisation, K C Venugopal.

He also added that if Rahul wins both seats, the decision to retain one seat will be taken accordingly.

However, senior CPI leader and the Left candidate from Wayanad, Annie Raja, told the media that Rahul Gandhi has done injustice to the people of the constituency.

"He (Rahul Gandhi) had hidden the fact from the voters of Wayand that he would be contesting from another seat too. He did injustice to the people of Wayand, which does not go well with political morality. He should have announced that he would be contesting in another constituency and fought the polls from Wayanad," Raja said.

Meanwhile, senior leader of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a major ally of the Congress in Kerala, P K Kunhalikutty supported the decision of Gandhi and said this was not the first time a politician was contesting from two seats.

The IUML leader asked the Left to refrain from criticising the decision and claimed that Rahul's candidature in Raebareli will increase the chances of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc parties winning the polls.

"His candidature in Raebareli will increase the chances of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc. We had expressed our opinion regarding Gandhi contesting from another seat also, considering the favorable chances of the INDIA bloc," Kunhalikutty said at a press meet in Malappuram.

Kunhalikutty also said that it was a political decision after considering all the factors.

"The voters in Wayanad will also celebrate his win in Raebareli," Kunhalikutty claimed.

BJP state chief K Surendran said Rahul fooled the people of Wayanad constituency. Surendran, who was also the NDA's Wayanad candidate in the recently concluded polls in Kerala, said the "double standards" of Rahul Gandhi were exposed today.

"He used to claim that Wayanad was his home, his family. But his double standards were exposed today. He was silent on contesting from north India. He is cheating the people of Wayanad continuously. He made a fool out of the Congress and the IUML workers of Wayanad," Surendran said. T

The BJP leader also said that the decision to contest from Raebareli instead of Amethi "shows his cowardice."

Gandhi had lost to Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani in 2019 after representing the constituency in Lok Sabha for three terms. He had, however, won from Wayanad in Kerala in 2019.