Chennai: For the first time in his political career, Congress president Rahul Gandhi is contesting from beyond the Vindhyas. This morning, he filed his nomination papers to contest as the Congress candidate from Wayanad, in Kerala.
He is already contesting the parliamentary elections from Amethi, his pocket borough in Uttar Pradesh. He was persuaded by the Congress leaders in Kerala to make Wayanad his second constituency for the upcoming general elections. After confabulating with party leaders in Delhi, Rahul agreed to contest from Wayanad as the second constituency.
The Congress president filed his nomination papers in the presence of the Collector of Wayanad this morning.
Rahul, accompanied by his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, reached Wayanad this morning by helicopter from Kozhikode, where he was staying at a guesthouse after arriving in Kerala Wednesday, adds a PTI report.
The Congress chief and his sister were greeted by a huge crowd and he held a roadshow before filing his papers. Rahul will also meet office-bearers of the Congress and parties in the UDF later.
Tight security is in place in Wayanad district in view of the Gandhi siblings’ visit.
While leaving the guesthouse in Kozhikode, Rahul was greeted by a huge crowd. He stopped his car and stepped out to greet party workers, who had been standing there for hours. Three-year-old Zoya, who was among the people waiting to get a glimpse of the Gandhi siblings, was greeted by Rahul. “We were waiting since 8 am. Last night also we waited so long, but couldn’t meet him. We are so happy that we could meet him,” Zoya’s mother told reporters.
Rahul also shook hands with some party workers before he moved on.