New Delhi: Union Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday joined Kerala BJP chief and party candidate from Wayanad, K Surendran in a mega road show ahead of his nomination. The BJP has fielded Surendran against Rahul Gandhi and CPI's Annie Raja. While Rahul Gandhi is contesting from the seat for the second time after bagging it for the first time in 2019, Surendran is contesting from the seat for the first time. Smriti Irani's presence during the rally is important given that she had emerged as the giant killer from Amethi in 2019 defeating Rahul Gandhi from the seat.
Smriti Vs Rahul
Smriti Irani and Rahul Gandhi have a political rivalry as the current MP is credited with ousting the Congress leader from the party's bastion. Before 2019, Rahul Gandhi held the Amethi Lok Sabha seat for 15 years but in the last general elections, Smriti Irani shattered the idea of the "safe seat for the Nehru-Gandhi family" for Rahul by winning the elections with a margin of over 55,000 thousand votes.
For the 2024 Lok Sabha Polls, the Gandhi family left their traditional seat and Rahul filed his nomination only from the Waynad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala, a move which was dubbed by the BJP as the Congress leader's fear. BJP claimed Rahul was sure that he would lose the election if he contested against Irani in Amethi again this year.
Irani's Waynad Campaign
Smriti joining Surendran's rally in Waynad can be dubbed as BJP's message to Rahul that no seat is Congress' traditional or the safe seat in the country. "Joined K Surendran in filing his nomination as a BJP candidate for Wayanad Parliamentary Constituency. Humbled by the welcoming sea of citizens at the roadshow, who are spiritedly awaiting a new dawn in the State’s growth story. Wayanad is abuzz with enthusiasm to play its part in achieving #AbkiBaar400Paar. Together, we will chart a path towards Viksit Bharat under the dynamic leadership of PM Narendra Modi ji," said Irani.
Kerala's Wayanad is set for a triangular contest with the BJP fielding Surendran and CPI fielding Annie Raja from the seat against Rahul Gandhi. The CPI and Congress could not reach a consensus on seat sharing in Kerala and thus are contesting on all seats.
