THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan was left disappointed on Friday after Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who had promised to campaign for him in Nemom, went into quarantine when her husband Robert Vadra tested positive for Covid-19. However, her brother and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will now attend a public meeting at Nemom on Sunday, the last day of campaigning, in her stead.
The kottikalasam, the public show by political parties to mark the end of the campaigning, will see Rahul addressing his last public programme either at Poojapura grounds or at Karamana. Central Congress secretary P Viswanath, who is in charge of the state, confirmed about Rahul’s arrival at Nemom.
“Rahul will be attending a public event in Nemom on Sunday. The timings are expected to be announced by Saturday,” he said.
Recently, Muraleedharan was upset that Priyanka’s road show at Poojapura on March 30 was cancelled at the eleventh hour. Peeved, he had taken up the matter with Congress national general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal. Soon, Viswanath requested Muraleedharan to meet Priyanka before she left for Kochi on Wednesday. At the meeting, she promised him that she will attend a road show in Nemom. She was scheduled to come to Nemom, Kazhakoottam and Vattiyoorkavu on Saturday. However, she was advised by doctors to go into quarantine.
Muraleedharan, who had been complaining about the lack of the party’s support in his prestigious poll battle in the BJP bastion, is happy that Rahul is attending the culmination of his campaigning. It will enable him to show his strength in the constituency, where he is pitted against BJP’s Kummanam Rajasekharan and CPM’s V Sivankutty in a tight fight.According to the state Congress unit, Rahul’s programme on Saturday involves campaigning in Kozhikode and Kannur.
“We are anticipating his arrival in Thiruvananthapuram by 4pm on Sunday. The Election Commission has allowed campaigning till 7pm. Congress will show its strength at its last public programme whether at Poojapura grounds or at Karamana,” said a leader close to Muraleedharan.