The CPI has decided to field senior party leader Sathyan Mokeri against Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi in the upcoming Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll. The decision to nominate Mokeri as its candidate for Wayanad seat was taken in the CPI state executive meeting held here Thursday.
A three time MLA from Nadapuram from 1987 to 2001, he had fought against Congress’ MI Shanavas in Wayanad Lok Sabha Constituency in 2014 and was defeated by a margin of 20870 votes. Although there were indications earlier that a woman candidate could be fielded against Priyanka Gandhi, the CPI decided to nominate Sathyan Mokeri, who had previously contested in Wayanad.
The Congress on Tuesday declared that AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi will contest from Wayanad , the Lok Sabha seat vacated by her brother Rahul Gandhi. The by-election in Wayanad was necessitated after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi chose to retain his Raebareli seat, having won both constituencies in the recent Lok Sabha elections. He won the Wayanad seat by defeating CPI’s Annie Raja by a margin of 3,64,422 votes. The BJP has not announced its candidate in Wayanad yet though It is learnt that it is considering the names of Sobha Surendran, MT Ramesh and AP Abdullakutty for the Wayanad seat. A final decision will be taken by the party Central leadership