KALPETTA: Rahul Gandhi, accompanied by his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, appeared cool during the ‘historic’ roadshow in Kalpetta as claimed by Congress leaders on Thursday. The duo, along with senior UDF leaders, climbed into an open truck which then rode to the District Collectorate, flanked by supporters of the party and local people. The Congress president waved at the party workers and was seen passing ‘flying kisses’ towards them.
As the cavalcade made its way through the streets of Kalpetta, there were slogans of ‘Mathetharathwathinte Kavalkkaran Rahul Gandhi (Rahul Gandhi, security guard of secularism) and ‘Chora tharam, Neeru tharam, Rahul Gandhikku abhivadyangal’ (Will give blood and life, salute to Rahul Gandhi).
With his candidature in Wayanad, Rahul has signalled his intention to satisfy the aspirations of the party workers of the three states and maximise gains in South India. Later, while leaving for Kozhikode after completing the roadshow, he himself took the initiative to hospitalise three journalists who suffered injuries. Since early morning, thousands of Congress workers and the IUML activists began flocking with flags and placards to Kalpetta, from neighbouring areas of Malappuram, Kozhikode and Kannur.
Apart from this, Congress workers from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka also flowed in to afford a rousing reception to him. “With his arrival, the Congress and allies will get the majority of seats in Tamil Nadu. Definitely, entire South India will get the benefit,” said R Reghu, Nilgiri DCC general secretary. Rameshan Master, from Vadakara, feels Rahul’s contest will boost the confidence of the party workers. N P Shakeer, a Youth League worker from Kanhangad, said, Rahul’s candidature was a message for the fight against communalism.
Jacob George, a native of Kalpetta, said Rahul contesting may bring good to the agrarian sector of the district which saw farmers’ suicides recently.