A political controversy has erupted in Wayanad ahead of the Lok Sabha by-elections after around 30 food kits, carrying pictures of Congress leaders were seized by the flying squad of the Election Commission and the police on Thursday at Tholpetty in the district.

The kits, containing tea dust, sugar, rice, and other grocery items, and carrying pictures of Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddharamaiah, and Deputy CMD K Shivakumar, were seized from a flour mill located near the residence of a local Congress leader, according to sources.

The ruling Left has alleged that the kits were brought for distribution to voters in an attempt to influence them in favour of the Congress in the November 13 by-poll.

The kit is labelled for distribution to landslide victims, sources added.

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However, the Congress said that these are the same kits previously brought in for distribution to the survivors of the Wayanad landslide disaster on July 30.

Proceedings are currently underway, said an official source.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi is the UDF candidate for the Wayanad by-polls on November 13, where she will be contesting against CPI candidate, senior leader Sathyan Mokeri and the BJP candidate Navya Haridas.

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