New Delhi: Annie Raja, Rahul Gandhi's rival in Wayanad, spoke exclusively to Republic and said that the Congress should have notified the people of Wayanad about the possibility of him contesting elections from another constituency.  "It's an injustice with people of Wayanad. It should have been told that he may contest elections from another seat", Annie Raja told Republic.

In 2019, when Rahul Gandhi lost his Amethi seat to Smriti Irani, Wayanad elected him as its representative. As Rahul Gandhi campaigned in Kerala before Wayanad went to the polls on April 26, speculations arose that he might contest from a second seat in Uttar Pradesh. On the final day for filing nominations, it was confirmed that Rahul Gandhi would contest from Raebareli, which Sonia Gandhi vacated as she shifted to the Rajya Sabha due to ill health.

In Raebareli, Rahul Gandhi will face BJP's Dinesh Pratap Singh, who lost the seat in 2019 to Sonia Gandhi. Raebareli is considered a secure seat, potentially making Rahul Gandhi an Uttar Pradesh MP once more. However, if he wins the Wayanad constituency again, he would need to resign from Wayanad if he also secures victory in Raebareli.

On Choice Between Wayanad And Rae Bareli

Speculations are rife that when it comes to choosing between Raebareli and Wayanad, the Gandhi family might prefer to retain the family bastion of Raebareli. However, Congress leader Manickam Tagore stated that the party would make this decision later. He expressed confidence in Rahul Gandhi's ability to win both seats, highlighting the strong bond between the people of Wayanad and Rahul Gandhi, as well as the historical association of the Gandhi family with Raebareli. Tagore emphasized that winning both seats with a significant margin was within their expectations.  

Wayanad, Are You Feeling Cheated?

Earlier in the day, echoing similar remarks, BJP's IT cell chief Amit Malviya said,"Wayanad, are you feeling cheated? Don’t worry, the Gandhi family has been cheating India for over seven decades now. Rahul Gandhi’s volte face should serve as a reminder to states like Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra and Maharashtra, where the Congress is still seeking relevance. They will DUMP you, to suit their convenience."