Rahul files nomination in Wayanad: ‘I understand CPM has to attack me, but I am not going to say a word against them’
After filing the papers, Rahul Gandhi took part in a road show in an open truck along with senior leaders of the Congress and United Democratic Front (UDF).
Congress president Rahul Gandhi, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and former Kerala CM Oommen Chandy in Wayanad on Thursday. (PTI)
As party workers teemed outside the district headquarters complex here in the scorching sun, Congress president Rahul Gandhi filed his nomination papers for the Lok Sabha elections to be held on April 23.
At the chamber of Wayanad District Collector A R Ajayakumar, the returning officer, Rahul was flanked by his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress district presidents I C Balakrishnan (Wayanad) and V V Prakash (Malappuram) and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader Panakkad Syed Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal.
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Rahul and Priyanka, who took a chopper from Kozhikode to Kalpetta, were taken to the district headquarters to submit the nomination, accompanied by Congress leaders and slogan-shouting workers. After filing the papers, they took part in a road show in an open truck along with senior leaders of the Congress and United Democratic Front (UDF).
Before leaving Kalpetta, Rahul remarked on the Left criticism about his decision to contest from a constituency in Kerala. “I know that that the CPM and Congress have been locked in a fight in Kerala, and this fight will go on. I want to make clear to my brothers and sisters in Kerala, my brothers and sisters in CPM, I understand that CPM has to protest against me. I understand that CPM has to fight me. But I am not going to say a word against the CPM. I am here to send the message of unity and the message that South India is important. I fully understand that CPM has to attack me. So, I absorb all their attacks with happiness. But you will not hear a word against the CPM in my campaigning,” he said.
Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka during the roadshow in Wayanad
Rahul also said he was fighting the polls from the south to send a message that India was one. “I have come to Kerala to send a message that India is one. South, north, east, west, centre… all are one… There is an assault taking place across the country by the RSS and BJP. I just want to send a message and I will stand from south India and north India. My aim was to give a message,” he said.
Thousands of UDF workers from across Wayanad constituency, spread over three districts, gathered in Kalpetta since early morning to see Rahul and Priyanka. Many were camping in lodges in Kalpetta and other towns in the district since Wednesday night. Party workers came in cars painted in Congress flag colours and holding flags of the Congress and IUML. Many clambered on to buildings for a better view. As the chopper became audible, staff in offices came out on the streets, and Kalpetta virtually came to a standstill from 9 am to 1 pm. During the road show along the national highway in Kalpetta, thousands trooped to the road, trying to shake hands with the leaders, some clicking photographs. On many occasions, securitymen had to struggle to take the road show ahead.
Rahul Gandhi files his nomination before the district collector A R Ajayakumar in Wayanad (Source: Twitter/INC)
Congress worker P Kunjumon, 74, said he came from Thiruvambadi in Kozhikode district to see the Gandhis. “This is a rare opportunity. I am a farmer, but had no qualms about quitting work for a day to meet Rahul. His candidature has energised party workers,’’ he said.
M Haneefa, 49, a worker of IUML from Vandoor, said, “IUML workers are excited about Rahul’s candidature. It is our workers who add colour and energy to the campaign.”
Reckoned as one of the safest constituencies for the party, Congress believes that “nothing will work against Rahul Gandhi” in Wayanad.
Towards the end of the road show, when some mediapersons fell down from a truck, Rahul and Priyanka extended helping hands. Rahul helped shift an injured journalist to an ambulance, while Priyanka picked up the shoe of the injured person and took it to the ambulance.
Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India.
Expertise, Experience, and Authority
Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment.
Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes:
Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration.
Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules.
Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More
