KOCHI: With pre-poll surveys indicating an uphill task for UDF candidate Shashi Tharoor in the Thiruvananthapuram constituency, the Congress-led alliance is banking on party chief Rahul Gandhi’s campaign blitz here on April 16 to set the tide back in Tharoor’s favour.
AICC general secretary KC Venugopal told Express Rahul will also address campaign rallies in Pathanamthitta, Pathanapuram and Alappuzha the same day. Tharoor is locked in a tough fight with NDA’s Kummanam Rajasekharan. Senior CPI leader C Divakaran is the other main contender in the fray. The hard fought contest for the prestigious seat has had its share of drama. On Thursday, news emerged that Tharoor wrote to the Congress high command complaining of partymen’s purported disinterest in undertaking his campaign. However, Tharoor took to Twitter to issue a strong denial.
“Everything about this story is false from start to finish. There was no complaint, no letter (neither by me not anyone on my behalf), & after 10 years in Thiruvananthapuram no one considers me an outsider. Pity to be the subject of such disinformation,” he tweeted.
A senior Congress leader told Express Rahul Gandhi’s rally while submitting his nomination in Wayanad has given a huge initial momentum to the Congress campaign in Kerala. His visit on Tuesday will further boost the Congress workers’ morale and enthusiasm in four constituencies - Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, Mavelikkara and Alappuzha. Venugopal said Rahul will campaign in Wayanad yet again during the last leg. It is likely that Priyanka Gandhi will come separately for the campaigning in the constituency, he said.