After CPI announced it’s candidates from Rahul’s Waynad, Tharoor’s Thiruvananthapuram and two other candidates for upcoming LS polls is now gravitation for Congress Party.
The buoyancy mood in INDIA camp after seat-sharing deals between AAP & Samajwadi Party hit a speedbreaker on alliance path for Congress after CPI’s step.
Big Shock for Congress in Kerala
On Monday the Communist Party of India unilaterally announcing its decision to field senior party leader Annie Raja from Wayanad, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s parliamentary constituency, reported.
Though the impossibility of a tie-up between Congress & Left in Kerala has been a foregone conclusion with both maintaining that any “compromise” would benefit BJP in the state.
CPI fields candidates from Rahul’s Waynad Constituency
CPI’s decision to field Annie Raja, party general secretary D Raja’s wife, pointed to a breakdown of communication between the two bloc allies.
The Communist Party of India (CPI) on Monday announced Annie Raja as its candidate for the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala, currently held by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi.
Annie, who will contest her first ever election this year, is a member of the CPI’s national executive and the wife of party general secretary D Raja.
She is also the general secretary of the National Federation of Indian Women and has been involved in politics since her school days.
It’s Tharoor vs CPI Leader in Thiruvananthapuram
The CPI, which is part of the INDIA alliance at the national level, has fielded Pannian Raveendran from Thiruvananthapuram, and Annie Raja from Wayanad.
Party veteran and former MP Pannian Raveendran will contest from Thiruvananthapuram, another crucial seat represented by senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor.
Currently, Congress’ Shashi Tharoor is the sitting MP from Thiruvananthapuram and Rahul Gandhi holds Wayanad. If Gandhi fights from Wayanad, he will face a challenge from Annie Raja, wife of CPI General Secretary D Raja.
The announcement was made by Party State Secretary Binoy Viswam at a press conference. Former agriculture minister V S Sunil Kumar and the party’s youth wing AIYF’s leader C A Arunkumar will be fielded from Thrissur and Mavelikkara seats respectively, he added.
Gandhi represented the Amethi parliamentary seat in the Lok Sabha from 2004 to 2019. BJP leader Smriti Irani defeated Gandhi in Amethi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Understanding the Kerala’s Political Scenario
Kerala has 20 Lok Sabha seats. Of these, the Congress bagged 15, while two went to the Indian Union Muslim League in 2019. The CPI(M), KC(M), and RSP won 1 seat each.
CPI’s candidates sound confident
CPI’s Thrissur candidate VS Sunil Kumar sounded confident about his victory from the seat.
He said the BJP’s aggressive campaigning in the city will not have any impact.
“I don’t know why they are confident about their victory. PM Narendra Modi already visited Thrissur twice and held roadshows.
It will not affect our political victory in Thrissur because the situation here is very different from other places.
This type of gimmick will not affect Kerala politics, especially Thrissur. 19 MPs from Kerala are doing nothing for the people of Kerala. They are trying to spoil the political situation in Kerala.”
Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha MP and CPI Secretary Binoy Viswam on Monday questioned the Congress party for its decision to contest Lok Sabha polls in Kerala.
Mr. Viswam said the BJP’s brazen attempts to court Christian votes at made-for-television events with Church leaders would come to nought.
He further added “The glad-handing would not erase the painful images of vandalised churches, smouldering prayer halls, and terrified parishioners in the BJP-ruled States, chiefly Manipur.”
He said North India is considered the hotbed of India from where the maximum number of MPs have come to the Parliament, where BJP is a powerful force to fight.
