Kalpetta: Braving the scorching heat, Congress President Rahul Gandhi, accompanied by his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, began a roadshow Thursday in the hilly Wayanad constituency as part of his poll campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The AICC chief, along with the state leaders, including former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala, came out in an open vehicle after completing the nomination procedures at the district collectorate here.
As the massive crowd of supporters gathered on both sides of the road, security personnel had a tough time controlling the workers to clear the way for the vehicle. As the vehicle inched forward, Gandhi was seen shaking hands with many elated supporters. People were seen clicking photos on their mobile phones and waving flags of the Congress party and its ally Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).
Earlier, Gandhi filed nomination before the district collector A R Ajayakumar here. Heavy security was in place in and around the Collectorate ahead of the high profile visit of the Congress chief.
Addressing the media, Gandhi said he had come to Kerala as he wanted to send across the message that India is one. "I felt that there is an assault by the RSS, BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I thought I should give a message that I will fight from both North and South India." The Congress chief added that the main concerns of the country were jobs and farmers. He also said he would "not say a word against CPM... I will absorb all attacks with happiness but I will not attack them".
Union minister Smriti Irani, who is in Gandhi's turf Amethi, accused the Congress chief of "insulting" the people by choosing Wayanad for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Referring to the Congress chief, Irani said a person who is here in Amethi for the past 15 years has decided to leave his supporters and has chosen to file nominations from another constituency. "He is filing his papers from another Lok Sabha seat. This is an insult to Amethi and a betrayal with its people. The people will not tolerate this," she told reporters here. The Union minister said this is because Congress workers know he does not have support in Amethi.
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