Some of the major constituencies in the country's focus include the Wayanad constituency in Kerala. It is because Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is contesting elections from this place. Annie Raja of 'Communist Party of India' and BJP's K. Surendran has put up a strong challenge. Voting is going on in this constituency on April 26.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is contesting for the second time from Wayanad constituency. He had earlier won this seat in 2019 with a huge margin. At that time, Rahul Gandhi was trying his luck from two places. Along with Wayanad, he contested from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. He had to face defeat from Amethi. He was defeated by Smriti Irani of Bharatiya Janata Party. Rahul Gandhi, who won last time with a margin of more than five lakh votes, this time BJP President in Kerala K. Surendran and Annie Raja of the Communist Party of India (CPI) have challenged it. Both are strong candidates. K. Surendran is the state president of BJP. Annie Raja, General Secretary of CPI d. She is known as Raja's wife and a veteran woman leader in the CPI.
K. Surendran is a very active leader in BJP. He was at the forefront of the Sabarimala movement in 2018. During this period, 237 cases were registered against him. At present, a total of 242 cases have been registered against him. He is a prominent leader in Kerala. BJP gave him the responsibility of state president in 2020. Before that, in 2019, he had contested the Lok Sabha elections from Pathanamthitta constituency. He got the third number of votes. He was arrested during the 2018 Sabarimala agitation. He spent more than a month in jail. After that, in the 2021 Kerala assembly elections, he contested from two assembly constituencies namely Manjeshwar and Konni. They were defeated at both places. At that time, BSP candidate from Manjeshwar Assembly Constituency K. It was alleged that Sundara was threatened with a bribe to withdraw her candidature.
Annie Raja is the National General Secretary of the Women's Federation of the CPI and a member of the National Executive of the CPI. Born in Iritti in Kannur district of Kerala, Annie Raja's political career began as a student. She was active in the All India Students Federation of the CPI and later in the party's youth wing, the All India Youth Federation. She also raised her voice on various issues as the secretary and state executive member of CPI's Kannur district women's organization. He did many protests against oppression of women.
Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency consists of seven assembly constituencies. They are named as Kalpetta, Mananthawadi, Sultan, Bathary, Thiruvambadi, Eranad, Nilambur and Vandur. Kalapetta and Mananthawadi seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes. Vandur is a constituency reserved for Scheduled Tribes. Mananthawadi, Thiruvambadi and Neelambur seats were won by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in the 2021 assembly elections. The other four seats were won by the Congress-led United Democratic Front despite the Left Democratic Front's preference in the state. In Wayanad, three per cent of the total electorate are Scheduled Castes, 9.5 per cent Scheduled Tribes, 32 per cent Muslims and 13 per cent Christians.
It is not the case that Rahul Gandhi will win the election this time as easily as he did last time. After the formation of India Aghadi, the Left parties objected to Rahul Gandhi contesting elections in Kerala. Rahul Gandhi is the main leader of India Aghadi. The Left Front was of the opinion that he should enter the fray against the main leader of the BJP. Rahul is currently the MP of this constituency. Therefore, Congress leaders were saying that they will fight from here. Therefore, Rahul Gandhi has to compete with the Communist Party of India as well as the BJP.
