Protests in Kerala over Rahul disqualification; Cong state chief says ready for Wayanad bypoll

Hundreds of party workers, including members of Youth Congress and Kerala Students Union, took out a march to Raj Bhavan. When police stopped the march, putting up barricades on the road leading to the Raj Bhavan, protesting Congress men tried to pull it down. Police resorted to lathicharge, leaving several party workers injured.

In Kalpetta, the district headquarters of Wayanad, Congress workers, led by party state vice-president and local MLA T Siddique, took out a protest march and laid siege to the BSNL office. Protest marches were also held in other parts of the constituency – Sulthan Bathery, Mananthavady and Mukkom – where party workers also blocked roads. In Kozhikode, party workers took out a march to the railway station later in the evening.

Senior Congress MLA and Opposition Leader V D Satheesan said the Rahul’s disqualification from Lok Sabha was a hasty, politically motivated decision. “The party would fight the decision politically and legally. The verdict of the Surat court is not final. Congress believes in democracy and rule of law. Neither Congress nor Rahul can be silenced by this disqualification,’’ he said.

Congress state president Sudhakaran said the party is not afraid of a by-election. “Let them declare the by-election [for Wayanad] any time. We are ready to fight it. Let the people decide who should rule the country. If a situation for election is created, we are confident that people would make use of that. Congress has confidence that the party would not fail before the people,’’ he said.