Kerala LS polls: Rahul Gandhi, Tharoor, Annie Raja file their nominations

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi filed his nomination from Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency on Wednesday for the April 26 election, a day before the deadline.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is seeking a second term from Wayanad Parliamentary constituency. Other high-profile candidates who filed their nominations on Wednesday included three-time Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor, KPCC Chief K Sudhakaran, state Minister K Radhakrishnan and CPI’s Annie Raja.

Polling will be held in all of Kerala’s 20 Parliamentary constituencies on April 26, in the second phase of the nationwide polls, for which the last date of filing nomination papers is April 4, according to an Election Commission notification.

Many of the candidates led road shows and foot marches on the way to filing their nominations at the district headquarters, to showcase their ground support and strength.

Rahul Gandhi also held a massive roadshow and hit out at the BJP and the RSS, accusing them of “trying to destroy” the Constitution and democratic nature of India, before he filed his nomination for Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency.

Congress has so far maintained suspense over nominations from Gandhi family’s stronghold of Amethi and Rae Bareli constituencies in Uttar Pradesh.

While former Congress president Sonia Gandhi moved to the Rajya Sabha after deciding not to contest 2024 Lok Sabha polls

from Rae Bareli, it was widely speculated that Rahul Gandhi may opt for his former Lok Sabha seat of Amethi which he had lost to the BJP’s Smriti Irani. Rahul Gandhi is likely to be

pitted against Annie Raja of the CPI, an ally of the Congress as part of the Opposition INDIA bloc. Rahul Gandhi has already faced criticism for entering into the contest with CPI candidate in Wayanad.

Similarly, his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who used to look after her mother’s Rae Bareli constituency was tipped to make her electoral debut from this seat. However, the party has so far not decided upon the two key Lok Sabha seats from U.P. which sends the maximum number of 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha.

Three-time Lok Sabha MP Tharoor, a former diplomat, is seeking a fourth consecutive term from Thiruvananthapuram, while Raja is contesting against Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad.

Tharoor told reporters after filing the nomination that he was sure about his victory and said the fight in Thiruvananthapuram is mainly between the Congress and the BJP.

“There is no doubt about the first place, and the only debate is who is going to be the second. Though it is considered a three-cornered fight, I think now the fight is more between the Congress and the BJP,” Tharoor said.

Devaswom Minister K Radhakrishnan is trying his luck in the lower house of Parliament from Alathur in Palakkad, while it is a matter of pride for Sudhakaran that he retains his present seat, Kannur.

Radhakrishnan was accompanied by his cabinet colleagues M B Rajesh and K Krishnankutty and other prominent leaders of Palakkad district when he arrived to file the nomination papers in the morning.

Braving the scorching heat, the KPCC chief led a massive roadshow in a covered vehicle, which was accompanied by a large number of party activists.

Other prominent leaders who filed nominations on Wednesday are: senior CPI(M) leader and former Health Minister K K Shailaja (Vatakara), M V Jayarajan (Kannur), BJP National Secretary Anil Antony (Pathanamthitta), former CPI MLA V S Sunilkumar (Thrissur), CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP Elamaram Kareem (Kozhikode), LDF candidate K S Hamsa (Ponnani), sitting Congress MPs Rajmohan Unnithan (Kasaragod), Benny Behannan (Chalakudy) and Dean Kuriakose (Idukki), CPI(M)’s K J Shine (Ernakulam), IUML MP E T Mohammed Basheer (Malappuram), BJP’s G Krishnakumar (Kollam), NDA nominee Thushar Vellappally and KC(M)’s Thomas Chazhikkadan (both Kottayam), CPI (M)’s V Joy (Attingal), and LDF’s C A Arun Kumar (Mavelikkara).

CPI(M) Ernakulam candidate Shine, a first-timer in the parliamentary elections, exuded confidence that she would emerge victorious, and said her years-long experience of working at the grassroots level would help win the hearts of voters.

“The guarantee of the LDF is to ensure a socio-political

and financial situation in the country to lead a peaceful life, enjoying the rights guaranteed by the Constitution,” she told reporters later.

The nominations will be scrutinised on April 5. April 8 is the last date for withdrawal, the Election Commission notification said.