Injecting a fresh wave of discord within the Indian political landscape, the Communist Party of India (CPI) made a significant move on Monday by announcing four candidates from Kerala for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Among them, Annie Raja, wife of party General Secretary D. Raja, has been nominated to contest from Wayanad, the constituency currently held by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
In the announcement of candidates, Binoy Viswam, the Kerala CPI state Secretary, raised questions regarding Rahul Gandhi's decision to contest from Wayanad, suggesting that the Congress should clarify why Gandhi is choosing to contest from Kerala rather than from northern India.
While acknowledging the CPI's respect for Gandhi and his right to contest from any constituency, Viswam emphasized the need for the Congress to justify Gandhi's decision to contest from Wayanad, which has only 20 seats compared to the larger number available in northern India.
This decision by the CPI has reignited a previous controversy that arose in September last year when the CPI's national leadership proposed that Gandhi should not contest from Wayanad, given the CPI's alliance with the Congress in the INDIA bloc. However, this suggestion was met with resistance from the CPI-M-led Left, leading to the CPI dropping the idea. Nonetheless, the issue resurfaced on Monday with Annie Raja's candidature announcement.
Annie Raja expressed her gratitude for being chosen as the CPI candidate for Wayanad, highlighting her connection to the constituency and her commitment to its people. She also noted that Wayanad holds sentimental value for her as it is where she gained her initial political experience.
Annie Raja, originally from Iritty near the Wayanad constituency, has primarily been based in Delhi with her husband, who holds a prominent position in the CPI. This will mark her first electoral battle in Kerala and in Wayanad, a constituency where Rahul Gandhi secured a massive victory in the 2019 polls with a record margin.
Apart from Annie Raja, the CPI announced three other candidates, including Pannyan Raveendran, a veteran leader, for Thiruvananthapuram, VS Sunilkumar for Thrissur, and CA Arun Kumar for Mavelikera. These nominations set the stage for intriguing electoral battles in Kerala's political landscape.
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