Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will file his nomination papers for Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala on Wednesday.
The Congress leader will also hold a massive roadshow in Kalpetta town on Wednesday, marking the commencement of his election campaign.
Thousands of UDF workers from the seven Assembly constituencies – Mananthavady, Sultan Bathey, Kalpetta, Ernad, Wandoor, Nilambur and Thiruvambadi, which come under Wayanad Lok Sabha seat, are expected to participate in the roadshow.
After the conclusion of the roadshow, Rahul will file his nomination before Wayanad District Collector Renu Raj at her office in Kalpetta.
Leaders including KPCC president K Sudhakaran, Ramesh Chennithala, P K Kunhalikutty and Panakkad Sayed Abbas Ali Shihab Thangal will accompany Rahul Gandhi at Wayanad Collectrorate in Kalpetta.
Kerala goes to the polls on April 26 in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections to elect all its 20 MPs. Rahul Gandhi’s opponents include CPI leader Annie Raja, who is the wife of CPI General Secretary D Raja and the BJP’s state president K Surendran.
In the 2019 polls, Rahul Gandhi secured a landslide victory from Wayanad , with the highest margin of 4.31 lakh votes in the state.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday criticised Rahul Gandhi for contesting against CPI leader Annie Raja in Wayanad constituency.
Vijayan said that Rahul’s candidacy in Wayand is against the vision of the INDIA bloc.
“What is the justification for contesting against a party that is your fellow traveller in the INDIA bloc? Why not contest against the BJP directly?” he asked.
BJP state president K Surendran, who is contesting from Wayanad Lok Sabha seat against Rahul Gandhi, said he was always absent from the constituency, especially in times of need, including flood and Covid pandemic.