The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for vacating the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala, accusing him of ‘deceiving’ the people of the constituency.
The BJP also suggested that the grand old party might consider his brother-in-law Robert Vadra for the upcoming by-election in the Palakkad assembly segment. In the recent 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi won from both the Wayanad and Raebareli Lok Sabha seats.
Also Read:Rahul Gandhi questions PM Modi’s silence over NEET paper leak, calls it an ‘organised crime’
Former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar termed it an ‘insult’ to the people of Wayanad. He also criticised Rahul Gandhi for not announcing before the elections that he would contest from two seats.
“Priyanka Gandhi has the right to contest from anywhere in the country but there are many questions that arise from this decision of the Congress and in particular, Rahul Gandhi…He hid from them (voters of Wayanad) the fact that he was also going to contest in Raebareli,” Rajeev Chandrasekhar told ANI.
Also Read:Robert Vadra reacts to wife Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s electoral debut from Kerala’s Wayanad | WATCH
“He (Rahul Gandhi) deceived them and today, after they have in good faith, supported him and given him one more chance to do something for the people, he is washing his hands and saying I am going to Raebareli. It is a betrayal of the people of Wayanad. She (Priyanka Gandhi) is making her political debut in a seat that is going to be extremely easy for her to win because IUML supports her,” he added.
On the other hand, Muraleedharan alleged that Priyanka Gandhi has no connection with Kerala.
“It’s an insult to the entire state of Kerala and especially to the people of Wayanad. Now, instead of Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi is going to contest from Wayanad. It means that the way Amethi and Rae Bareli are family constituencies, the same way Wayanad will be their family constituency. Why Priyanka Gandhi, who has no connection with Kerala, is contesting from Wayanad?” he asked.
On Monday, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge announced Priyanka Gandhi’s candidature for Wayanad at a special press conference, following Rahul Gandhi’s decision to resign as an MP from Wayanad and retain the Raebareli constituency.
On Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi formally informed the Lok Sabha Speaker’s office that he would be vacating the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat while retaining the Raebareli seat. If Priyanka Gandhi wins in Wayanad, three members of the Nehru-Gandhi family will be in Parliament: Sonia Gandhi in the Rajya Sabha, and Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi in the Lok Sabha.
Priyanka Gandhi stated on Monday that she would contest the by-election in Wayanad, but her longstanding connection with Amethi and Raebareli would remain unchanged.
“I am very happy to be able to represent Wayanad and I will not let them feel his (Rahul Gandhi’s) absence. I will work hard and I will try my best to make everyone happy and be a good representative. I have a very old relationship with Raebareli and Amethi and it cannot be broken. I will also help my brother in Rae Bareli. We will both be present in Rae Bareli and Wayanad,” Priyanka Gandhi said.