Emotional scenes were witnessed at the polling stations set up for the survivors of the landslides, which hit the hill district in July this year, to cast their votes in the bypoll for the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency when they saw their neighbours and close friends after a long time since the disaster.
The survivors hugged each other with joy and then broke into tears as they recalled how they all lived together as one big happy family before the landslides swept away everything on July 30.
One elderly man broke into tears as he narrated how the residents of Punchirimattam, Chooralmala and Mundakkai villages, which were completely destroyed in the landslides, celebrated every festival together irrespective of their religions.
His friend, whom he met on the bus that was arranged to ferry voters of the landslide-affected to polling stations, hugged and consoled him, saying "don't cry, everything will turn out to be fine".
Another woman said after the landslides, the survivors were relocated or rehabilitated to different parts of the district.
"So, when we see them after such a long gap, the first thing we ask is where you are living and not how you are doing," she told media.
A special free vehicle service has been provided for landslide survivors to reach the polling stations from the various places they are temporarily residing at.
Over 200 people were killed in the landslides that swept away the three villages and destroyed hundreds of homes.
Kerala's longest zipline! Rahul Gandhi promotes Wayanad’s tourism in a unique way
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a break from campaigning for the Wayanad bypolls on Tuesday to promote Kerala’s scenic hill district, known for its natural beauty and adventure tourism.
Sharing a video on social media, Rahul, sporting a "I love Wayanad" T-shirt, attempted the longest zipline in Wayanad. In the video, he jokingly invited his sister, Priyanka Gandhi, to join him on the zipline challenge — dressed in a saree.
Rahul highlighted the region’s attractions, noting that despite the landslide damage, Wayanad remains a beautiful destination with exciting tourist activities, such as the largest giant swing in South India and a drop tower. "This is more than politics for me; the people of Wayanad have truly won a place in my heart. Priyanka and I have taken it up as a mission to make Wayanad a top destination in Kerala. Wayanad embodies the best of India," Rahul said.