KALPETTA: Having arrived in Wayanad on Sunday for a two-day campaign for the Lok Sabha by-election, Congress candidate Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, accompanied by her brother and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, enumerated the problems faced by the local people.
“We will try our best to make the Wayanad medical college a reality. My brother Rahul Gandhi has worked hard for it. But despite so much effort, the state government has not provided any facilities except for erecting a name board called ‘medical college,’” Priyanka said at Gandhi Park in Mananthavady.
She noted that there is much to be done to strengthen the district’s tourism sector and emphasized the need for systems for food processing. Priyanka also addressed other issues faced by the people of Wayanad.
“Due to the night travel ban, it is not possible to cross borders in emergency situations. This should be fixed. There are traffic congestion issues, including on the Western Ghat road, and an alternative needs to be found. Human-wildlife conflict is also a major problem in Wayanad. Tribals need more funds for building houses.
More jobs need to be created in the region, and there is a lack of public healthcare systems among tribals. Moreover, the Centre has cut the share of the National Employment Guarantee Scheme. I will raise my voice in Parliament to increase the financial support for the National Employment Guarantee Scheme,” she said.
Seeking votes for his sister for the first time, Rahul stated that Priyanka is the most suitable candidate for Wayanad. “Priyanka is the person who went and hugged the girl involved in my father’s murder. That was the training she received in her life... Priyanka sees a farmer as more than just his occupation,” Rahul said.
He also criticized both the state and Union governments over the district’s ongoing issues.