Exclusive/ 'Betrayed People of Wayanad': BJP Slams Rahul Gandhi For Dumping Kerala Seat, Picking Rae Bareli

New Delhi: The decision made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to dump the Wayanad seat and retain the Rae Bareli segment, the two seats he contested and won in the recently concluded Lok Sabha election, ignited a political firestorm. 

Speaking exclusively to the Republic, former Union Minister and BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar accused Rahul Gandhi of betraying the people of Wayanad. 

“What Rahul Gandhi did was a clear betrayal to the people of Wayanad. He deceived them by not disclosing that he would contest from other seats (Rae Bareli) as well.” 

He added that there's no restriction on leaders of political parties from contesting in multiple seats as many have done the same in the past. “But nobody has done it like Rahul Gandhi who kept the voters of Wayanad in the dark by not telling them the truth.”

“He kept shut till May 26 (Voting Day in Wayanad) and then announced candidature from Rae Bareli. He betrayed them all,” the BJP leader added. 

BJP Slams Vadra's Wayanad Move

After Rahul Gandhi dumped the Wayanad seat, his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who's been a party campaigner since last decade, jumped into the poll race from the same seat. 

Rahul Gandhi vacated the Wayanad seat to pick Rae Bareli, a traditional pocket borough of the Gandhi family.

Taking a swipe at the Congress, BJP leader Shehzad Poonwalla said, “In a move that would make Machiavelli proud, Rahul Gandhi has dispensed with his sister by sending her to Wayanad. He has proven that family legacy belongs to him, not the sister.” 

He added that Rahul Gandhi has positioned himself as the ‘numero uno’ in the ‘family-run firm' called Congress. “Priyanka who worked in UP esp Rae Bareli now has to go to Kerala and start from scratch. Left continues to be upset about Congress fighting them in Kerala - Priyanka will have to deal with this while Rahul can just relax.” 

The decision to field Vadra from Wayanad garnered heated responses from the BJP leaders who labelled the move as an example of ‘dynastic politics.’ 

BJP leader Poonawala also charged that Rahul Gandhi chose not to leave the Rae Bareli seat as doing so could result in a BJP victory in a subsequent by-election.