The first credible hints about Rahul Gandhi vacating the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala came from leaders of the Congress-led United Democratic Front on Thursday amid rumours that the party could even consider Priyanka Gandhi to take her brother’s place.
Indian Union Muslim League national general secretary P.K. Kunhalikutty was the first to give an unambiguous hint about a by-election in Wayanad.
“The League (IUML) is focusing on the Rajya Sabha seat which has been decided. The Congress will contest from Wayanad,” Kunhalikutty told reporters, amid heightened speculation on who would succeed Rahul since he is likely to retain Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh.
Later in the day, state Congress president K. Sudhakaran told reporters that K. Muraleedharan, who lost against the BJP’s Suresh Gopi in Thrissur, “is capable of any role in the party and there are no hurdles in fielding him from Wayanad”.
Sudhakaran’s statement comes as a reassurance that Muraleedhan, who had abruptly decided to stay away from public life after the shock defeat against a BJP candidate, would continue to play an active role in the Congress.
Kunhalikutty’s allusion to the Rajya Sabha seat was based on the tussle within the UDF for the lone seat it is capable of winning in the June 25 elections. Three seats are falling vacant on July 1 with Binoy Viswam of the CPI, Elamaram Kareem of the CPM and Jose K. Mani who heads Left ally Kerala Congress (Mani) set to retire.
While the LDF has sufficient numbers to elect two members, one each from CPI and CPM, the Congress can win one seat.
Kunhalikutty’s disclosure about the likelihood of a by-election in Wayanad coincided with suggestions from a section of the Congress to field Muraleedharan from there. To make things worse, Muraleedharan finished third behind V.S. Sunil Kumar of the CPI.
But Muraleedharan, who is said to be eyeing the state party chief’s post, is unlikely to contest from Wayanad. Instead, party sources said, the AICC leadership including its general secretary and MP-elect from Alappuzha, K.C. Venugopal, wants Priyanka to fill in the void likely to be left by her brother.
By fielding Priyanka, the party can maintain the special bond Rahul had developed with the Wayanad people who had elected him with a margin of 4,31,770 votes in 2019.
He had always described the people of Wayanad as his family members.