Not just the majority here, the party is expecting Gandhi's foray into Wayanad to have a ripple effect in all the 20 seats in the state
A picturesque hill station lying in the tri-junction of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Wayanad is basking in the national attention it is receiving in the wake of Congress president Rahul Gandhi's candidature from this Lok Sabha constituency. With just one day to go for the constituency to go to polls, the question here on everyone's lips is: "What will be Rahul's majority? Will it cross three lakhs or will it be below that?"
"Two and a half lakhs for sure. Rahul ji's arrival has enthused our cadre and voter alike. They are eager to ensure him a whopping majority so that he retains Wayanad, and not Amethi (the second but traditional seat Mr Gandhi is contesting)," says PM Suresh Babu, general secretary of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).
"Higher the voting percentage, higher the victory margin," says Vinod Mathew, head of Rahul Gandhi's media cell in Wayanad. "The Left (front) and the BJP-led NDA have a vote bank of around 3.25 lakh and one lakh respectively. If 80% of the constituency's 13.25 lakh voters (i.e. 10.6 lakh) exercise their franchise, Rahul's majority will cross three lakh," he says.
Considered a Congress stronghold, the UDF (which comprises Congress, Muslim League and Kerala Congress-M) has won the constituency in both parliamentary elections since it was carved out in 2009. However, the victory margin of UDF candidate had come down to 20,000 in 2014, compared to over 1.5 lakh in 2009.
Not just the majority here, the party is expecting Gandhi's foray into Wayanad to have a ripple effect in all the 20 seats in the state. "In 2009, the Congress-led UDF had won 16 of the 20 seats in Kerala. The party is looking to repeat the sweep," says Suresh Babu.
The BJP however thrashes all such claims. "Wayanad will be Rahul's Waterloo. The NDA will win with clear majority," says Sajeevan, who is part of BJP media cell in the constituency.
The ordinary voter is not amused by the spirited fight being put up by the NDA and the Left. "They won't give up easily. They would prefer to go down fighting," says Shaji Prakash, who runs a hardware shop near Bathery on Mysore highway. "But all those who come here swear by Rahul. In fact, some even hope that he 'bombs' in Amethi," he adds.
That is a million dollar question. Will Gandhi retain Wayanad in case he wins Amethi too?
"Rahul has already spoken his mind -- that too at a huge rally here -- that he's here for a long haul, may be for a lifetime," quips Vinod Mathew.
DEMOGRAPHIC DATA
The constituency covers three Assembly segments each in Wayanad and Malappuram districts, and one in Kozhikode. According to unofficial demographic data, Muslims account for 45% of the electorate in Wayanad, Hindus 41% and Christians 13%. The constituency has the largest tribal population in the state – 18.5%.
‘REVIEW RAHUL GANDHI’S NOMINATION’
Wayanad NDA candidate T Vellappally through his lawyers writes to CEO Kerala to review nomination of Rahul Gandhi, states, “It’s understood that Rahul Gandhi is having passport of a foreign country also. He didn’t disclose this in the nomination filed or in the affidavit.”
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Considered a Congress stronghold, the UDF (which comprises Congress, Muslim League and Kerala Congress-M) has won the constituency in both parliamentary elections since it was carved out in 2009. However, the victory margin of UDF candidate had come down to 20,000 in 2014, compared to over 1.5 lakh in 2009.
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