New Delhi: Congress chief Rahul Gandhi might contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Wayanad constituency in Kerala. The Wayanad seat was formed in 2009 and is one of the traditional stronghold and strongest constituencies for the Congress.
The Congress leadership had, for weeks, been under pressure from leaders in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala to field Gandhi from a constituency in southern India.
Gandhi had reportedly turned down the request earlier, saying he did not know much about the constituency.
Though the Congress has already nominated Kozhikode district Congress president T Siddique to contest from Wayanad, media quoted senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy saying that Mr Siddique has already been informed about the move and he has welcomed it.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala thanked the people for their love and respect towards the Congress chief and assured that Rahul Gandhi would consider the request of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).
Wayanad Constituency:
- The Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, since its formation in 2008, has overwhelmingly under the Congress bastion
- The seat was won by senior Congress leader MI Shanawaz both in 2009 and 2014, but the legislator died last year and since then the seat has been lying vacant
- Wayanad is a hilly district located in North Kerala that shares borders with both the neighbouring states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu
Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency is composed of the following assembly segments:
- Mananthavadi
- Kalpetta
- Sulthan Bathery
- Thiruvambady
- Nilambur
- Wandoor
- Eranad
- Mananthavady
Total population: 1827651
- 93.15% is rural
- 6.85% is urban
- Scheduled castes (SC) 7%
- Scheduled tribes (ST) 9%
- Voter list of 2016 shows, there are 1347676 eligible voters and 1087 polling stations
- Voter turnout in the 2014: 73.25%
Vote share among parties in 2014:
- BJP-8.83%
- LDF- 38.92%
- INC-41.21%
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