Rahul Gandhi to contest from Wayanad in Kerala & Amethi in UP

March 31: Congress chief Rahul Gandhi will contest the coming Lok Sabha elections from a second seat besides family stronghold Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. Congress leader AK Antony announced on Sunday, “Rahul ji has given his consent to contest from two seats, very happy to inform you that he will also contest from Wayanad in Kerala.”

This is the first time Rahul Gandhi will contest Lok Sabha polls from two seats. Earlier, there were also reports of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu state Congress units asking him to contest Lok Sabha elections from their states. In Amethi, the Bharatiya Janata Party has once again fielded Smriti Irani against Rahul Gandhi. In 2014, Rahul Gandhi defeated Smriti Irani by a margin of over one lakh votes.

The Congress decision triggered multiple jibes from the BJP. Union minister Smiti Irani, who would be contesting against Mr Gandhi for the second time from Amethi, tweeted that the constituency “drove him away”. The Congress said the BJP comments were “immature”.

Wayanad will vote on April 23 and Amethi on May 6. The counting of votes for the country will be held on May 23. Kerala’s Wayanad seat is a stronghold of the Congress. The seat was won by Congress leader MI Shanawaz in 2009 and 2014. This is the first time Rahul Gandhi will contest from a seat other than his family bastion Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.