KALPETTA(WAYANAD): It mattered little to the sea of Congress workers and UDF sympathisers from across the state that the sun mercilessly bore down on them. For, they had all converged on this small town for the biggest roadshow in recent times - a display of strength in support of their leader Rahul Gandhi who had arrived, with his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, to submit his nomination papers for the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency on Thursday.
“My brother, my truest friend, and by far the most courageous man I know. Take care of him, Wayanad. He won’t let you down,” tweeted Priyanka immediately after Rahul filed the nomination papers for the second seat he is contesting after Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.
My brother, my truest friend, and by far the most courageous man I know. Take care of him Wayanad, he wont let you down. pic.twitter.com/80CxHlP24T
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) April 4, 2019
Rahul and Priyanka, who arrived in Kozhikode on Wednesday, came in an open vehicle in a procession participated by thousands of partymen, supporters and common people, who cheered enthusiastically along the procession route. “I am overwhelmed by the love and affection of the people of Wayanad,” said Rahul, who landed at the SKMJ High School Ground, Kalpetta by helicopter in the morning, along with Priyanka, and headed to the district collectorate office.
Rahul, who submitted his nomination before Wayanad District Collector AR Ajayakumar by 11.30 am, later chose to attack the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the RSS even as he said he will not say anything against the CPM.
Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala, however, did not mince any words against the Left. “Rahulji’s statement that he is contesting from Wayanad not to fight against the Left but to represent the South, which is totally ignored by Modi, is a fitting reply to the malicious propaganda by the CPM,” he said. Congress leaders Oommen Chandy, Mullappally Ramachandran, AICC general secretaries Mukul Wasnik and KC Venugopal along with IUML leader PK Kunhalikutty accompanied Rahul. The nomination filing proceedings were completed in 20 minutes.
Though heavy security was in place in Kalpetta town ahead of the visit of the Congress president, the brother-sister duo kept the security officers on toes as hundreds of workers gathered on both sides of the road. Priyanka Gandhi, attired in maroon and red-bordered saree, waved to the crowd while Rahul shook hands of many elated Congress workers.
Roadshow