LS polls 2024: CPI reveals Annie Raja as Wayanad candidate; Where will Rahul Gandhi contest?

Team Udayavani, Feb 26, 2024, 8:11 PM IST

Rahul Gandhi (Source X / @INCIndia))

Thiruvananthapuram: The Communist Party of India (CPI), the second-largest coalition partner in Kerala’s ruling Left Democratic Front, has announced the names of its candidates for four crucial seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Notably, senior party leader Annie Raja has been nominated to contest from the pivotal Wayanad constituency, a seat presently held by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Party veteran and former MP Pannian Raveendran will contest from Thiruvananthapuram, another crucial seat represented by senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor.

The announcement was made by Party State Secretary Binoy Viswam at a press conference here.

Former agriculture minister V S Sunil Kumar and the party’s youth wing AIYF’s leader C A Arunkumar will be fielded from Thrissur and Mavelikkara seats respectively, he added.

Viswam said the state council and the state executive of the party unanimously accepted the names of the candidates recommended by the respective district councils.

Exuding confidence that the LDF candidates will win in the upcoming general elections, he said the present political trend in the state is favourable to the Left front.

”There is no anti-LDF wave in Kerala as propagated by the media. The people of the state think in favour of the LDF. The result of the recent local body polls is a clear indication of this,” the CPI state secretary added.

He also said the BJP and the Congress-led UDF would suffer setbacks in the state in the crucial Lok Sabha elections.

Meanwhile, in New Delhi, Annie Raja told reporters that the CPI is going forward in accordance with the decision of its recent party congress that the left, secular and democratic forces should be united to save the country.

The party expects that other like-minded parties would also think and act on the same lines, she added.

When asked whether Rahul Gandhi would contest against her in Wayanad, his sitting seat, Raja said the decision of each party is their prerogative and she cannot comment on anything based on speculation.

The Congress party is yet to announce their candidate in the constituency.

”I can comment on matters related to my party only. It is the decision of the Congress party to field which leader in which constituency to fight fascism,” Raja added.

Besides Wayanad, Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram are also expected to witness a fierce battle in the upcoming polls.

Along with the ruling LDF and opposition UDF, the BJP-led NDA also holds high hopes in Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram where the rival fronts are yet to announce their candidates.