Addressing the media after filing his nomination from the Wayanad constituency in Kerala on Thursday, 4 April, Congress President Rahul Gandhi said he was "not going to say a word against the CPM" in his entire campaign.
“I understand that my brothers and sisters in CPM will now speak against me and attack me... But I will absorb all the attacks from CPM with happiness... I am not going to say a word against the CPM in my entire campaign.”Rahul Gandhi
The Congress chief further said that he had come to Kerala to send a message that India is one.
“My aim is to send a message, there is a feeling in South India that the way Centre, Modi ji and RSS are working, it’s like an assault on culture and languages in the South.”Rahul Gandhi, as quoted by ANI
The Congress leader also held a roadshow in the Kerala constituency on Thursday, accompanied by his sister Priyanka Gandhi.
Notably, the Congress' announcement that the party chief would contest from Wayanad had evoked sharp reactions from the Left and Right of the political spectrum.
The CPI(M) and CPI had said the move signalled the Congress wanted to take on the Left, which would work towards defeating him in the elections from Wayanad.
People in Wayanad gathered in support of Rahul Gandhi, who arrived to file his nomination on Thursday.
(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@INCIndia)
Ahead of Gandhi filing his nomination, Union Minister Smriti Irani, who would be contesting against the former from Amethi, had said:
“He (Rahul Gandhi) enjoyed a position of power for 15 years because of the support from Amethi, but now he is going to file nomination from elsewhere. This is an insult of Amethi and people here will not tolerate this.”Smriti Irani, as quoted by ANI
BJP chief Amit Shah had reacted to the development saying Gandhi has "fled to Kerala as he fears that Amethi voters will seek an account from him".
Addressing a rally in Wardha, Maharashtra, on Monday, the prime minister said the Congress is scared to field its leaders from constituencies where the majority dominates in terms of voter-base. He, however, did not name Gandhi.
Gandhi had arrived in Kozhikode on Wednesday night to a tumultuous welcome by hundreds of party workers.
The Congress president was received by senior party leaders Ramesh Chennithala, Oommen Chandy, Mullappally Ramachandran, as well as Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leaders PK Kunhalikutty and ET Muhammed Basheer.
Priyanka Gandhi, who came separately, had reached Kozhikode shortly before her brother arrived.
‘South India Feels Hostility from Narendra Modi’
Earlier, on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi had claimed people in South India "feel hostility" from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said he decided to contest from Wayanad in Kerala to send out the message that he stands with them.
“There is a feeling in South India, a very strong feeling in South India, that they are not being carried (along) by the current government. South India feels hostility from Mr Narendra Modi, they feel that they are not being included in the decisions of the country.”Rahul Gandhi
"So, I wanted to send a message to South India that we are with you and I am standing with you. That is why I am standing from Kerala," he had said in response to a question after the launch of the party's manifesto.
The Congress had announced on 31 March that Gandhi will contest from the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala, besides his traditional stronghold of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.
(With inputs from PTI)
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