RAHUL Gandhi Will Contest LS Poll from Amethi & Kerala’s Wayanad: CM Vijayan Says Gandhi Will Be defeated

CONGRESS  Working  Committee  Member  and former Defence  Minister A K Antony on Sunday  confirmed  that AICC President  Rahul Gandhi will contest from Wayanad in Kerala, apart from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. He was also requested by the Pradesh Congress Committees of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka besides Kerala PPC to contest from the states. Gandhi is the sitting MP from Amethi where Textiles Minister Smriti Irani is also a candidate as in 2014. Announcing the decision at a press conference in New Delhi, Antony that Rahul Gandhi has given his consent to contest from two seats. Informed sources say Gandhi’s decision is based on the inputs given by AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi who a few days ago had visited Amethi and her mother Sonia Gandhi’s Raebareli Parliamentary Constituency.”For the past so many weeks there have been continuous requests and demands from the Congress workers and our partners, they feel that Rahul Gandhi should contest one seat from South India. The requests and demands were mainly raised by Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu,” said Antony. There were deliberations on the issue by Congress leaders and “All of us requested Rahul that ignoring the unanimous request from Southern states is not correct. Hence, Rahul must accept the demand.””Finally he has given the consent to contest from Wayanad”, said Antony from Kerala. To a question whether Rahul Gandhi is not confident in Amethi, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, “Why did Modi ji leave Gujarat and contest from Varanasi? Was he not confident in Gujarat? These are immature and childish comments. “This is a message to the southern states that they are deeply valued and respected. Congress President Rahul Gandhi has said that he will represent Amethi but will also represent southern states as they are an important part of India’s way of life,” Randeep Surjewala said.The said the people of Amethi trust the fact that they are protected with Rahul Gandhi being there. “BJP has the task of conspiracy while we have the task of construction,” he added. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan reacting to the Congress announcement said that Rahul Gandhi contesting against the Left is not a good sign. “He should have contested against the BJP if he sincerely believes that the BJP is their prime opponent.”Senior CPI(M)  Leader  Prakash Karat said  Gandhi will lose  in Kerala.”LDF is very much capable of defeating Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad,”CM Vijayan, added. Wayanad is Kerala’s one of the 20 Lok Sabha Constituencies .Sitting Congress MP M I Shanavas passed away last year.