Lok Sabha polls 2024: Congress defends RaGa, K C Venugopal candidature amid war of words
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : With the Left leadership questioning the logic behind two top Congress leaders -- Rahul Gandhi and K C Venugopal -- contesting against LDF candidates in Kerala while being part of the INDIA bloc, the onus has now fallen on the Congress state leadership to defend the move.
Ever since speculation was rife that Rahul will be defending his seat in Wayanad, the CPI leadership, both national and state, was the most vociferous in opposing the move.
But neither the CPM nor the CPI had suspected that Congress general secretary Venugopal would be contesting for a Lok Sabha seat from Alappuzha. But the choice of Congress candidates has been in line with the national leadership’s strategy of winning as many seats as possible.
Moreover, a majority of the Congress Working Committee leaders including Priyanka Gandhi had insisted that Venugopal should contest from Alappuzha, catching the Left leadership unawares.
CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam was careful not to name either Rahul or Venugopal while criticising the Congress about their lack of “political farsightedness”.
“When it comes to coalition, there is always a give and take. It’s not just about Kerala, but the fact that Rahul Gandhi is a national leader. Unfortunately, the Congress is not willing to learn and they lack political farsightedness as well as political wisdom. We are not against any individual, but the Congress party should have a minimum level of political wisdom,” Binoy Viswom told TNIE.
At the same time, Venugopal was irked by the Left leadership staying away from the culmination of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Mumbai. When the CPM and CPI stayed away from the finale on Sunday, the CPI-ML attended.
Ahead of Rahul’s visit to Wayanad, Venugopal said that the Congress had invited everyone, including the Left parties, to Mumbai.
Expressing his strong displeasure against the Left leadership, Venugopal alleged that it showed their “political pauperdom”.
“Rahul Gandhi has emotional connectivity with the people of Wayanad as this is the second time he is contesting from there. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan need not be scared of this move as Rahul Gandhi’s aim is to fight against Narendra Modi so as to dethrone him,” Venugopal said.
‘Political Pauperdom’
Congress leader K C Venugopal expressed strong displeasure against the Left leadership for staying away from the culmination of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Mumbai
He said that Congress had invited everyone, including the Left parties, to Mumbai
Venugopal said that by not attending the Nyay Yatra, the Left leadership showed their ‘political pauperdom’