What to Watch Out ForRahul Gandhi chooses Kerala's Wayanad as second constituency to contest from
Days after speculation arose of Rahul Gandhi contesting from Wayanad, the Congress on Sunday announced that the party chief will be filing his second nomination, after Amethi, from the Kerala constituency.
The decision is seen as an attempt by the Congress to consolidate its electoral base in South India, especially in Kerala which has 20 Lok Sabha seats. Going south: “Congress president Rahul Gandhi has said that he will represent Amethi but will also represent southern states as they are an important part of India's way of life," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.
The move is expected to accentuate the wedge between the Congress and Communists, two consistent, credible and powerful anti-BJP poles, undermining the electoral momentum against the RSS’s Hindutva ideology, and second, it will give avoidable fodder to Union minister Smriti Irani to run a campaign that the Congress president is afraid of losing his Amethi seat.Read Kay Benedict's analysis here.He said she said: In a scathing attack against Congress over the decision, Aam Admi Party questioned the party’s intention behind fielding Rahul Gandhi from Wayanad.
“Instead of concentrating attention on removing a dictatorial and anti-federal regime, the Congress seems to be dividing votes where the anti-BJP forces are strong. Look at what the Congress is doing in UP, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh" the AAP leader said.
Union Law Minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad also took a potshot at Rahul Gandhi saying that the decision was taken as the party chief is feeling “uncomfortable, insecure and helpless in Amethi."
The CPI(M) and CPI also took a swipe at Congress saying that the move indicates that the party wants to take on the Left in Kerala and asserted that they will work to ensure his defeat.
“It goes against the Congress' national commitment to fight the BJP, as in Kerala, it is the LDF (Left Democratic Front) which is the main force fighting the BJP there," CPI(M) politburo member Prakash Karat told reporters.What You May Have Missed Nirav Modi denied bail for the second time, London court says destruction of evidence a concern
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The updated list of actors-turned-politicians has a new entrant in Urmila Matondkar who has been fielded by the Congress from Mumbai North constituency. Matondkar has been pitted against sitting BJP MP Gopal Chinnayya Shetty, a strongman in the region, who had won the 2014 elections with a whopping margin of 4,46,582 votes. This is not the first time parties have fielded actors against seasoned politicians. Read Akash Gulankar's analysis here. On Reel
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