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Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Smriti Irani launched a scathing attack on the Congress party’s position in Kerala, particularly targeting senior leader Rahul Gandhi, who is contesting from the Wayanad constituency. Irani criticized the Congress for facing challenges from its coalition partner, the Communist Party of India (CPI), in Kerala, where the CPI’s star candidate, Annie Raja, is contesting against Rahul Gandhi .
In a rally held in Karnataka, Irani mocked the Congress’s predicament, highlighting the three-way battle in Wayanad with the BJP fielding its Kerala chief K Surendran. She remarked, “The condition of the Opposition is that they are fighting in Wayanad.” She further pointed out the irony of Left parties suggesting Rahul Gandhi contest from Uttar Pradesh while embracing him in Delhi during INDIA Alliance meetings.
Irani’s jibe encapsulated the contrasting situations faced by the Congress across different states, stating, “Yesterday, I said in Kerala, ‘Delhi mein hugging, Kerala mein begging.’ The situation through which the Congress is going through in Karnataka, ‘it is Delhi mein hugging, Kerala mein begging, Karnataka mein thugging.'”
Meanwhile, Annie Raja filed her nomination for the Lok Sabha elections from Wayanad, intensifying the electoral contest in Kerala. The CPI, a partner of the ruling Left Democratic Front, has placed itself as a formidable opponent against Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad.
In another twist, uncertainty looms over the Amethi seat in Uttar Pradesh, formerly a stronghold for the Congress party. While Rahul Gandhi opted to contest from Wayanad in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress is yet to finalize its candidate for Amethi. Irani’s remarks come amidst speculation about Priyanka Gandhi’s husband, Robert Vadra, hinting at entering politics and potentially representing Amethi.
Vadra’s statement about the expectations of the people of Amethi regarding a member of the Gandhi family’s return to politics adds to the intrigue surrounding the constituency. However, the final decision regarding the Congress candidate for Amethi remains uncertain, as the party navigates through these developments in the lead-up to the elections.
