#Wayanad #India #key
An unparalleled campaign took place in Wayanad, where Rahul Gandhi, the national face of the Congress, Annie Raja, one of the founding leaders of India Front, and BJP state president K Surendran locked horns. The fronts are in great excitement after the one and a half month long campaign has ended in a constituency where there is a significant fight on a national basis.
UDF centers insist that Rahul will retain the constituency with the same majority as in 2019. But the LDF centers claim that the larger political undercurrent will be in favor of the Left and Ani Raja will make history. NDA also claims that K Surendran will increase his vote share to a large extent.
A look at the nature of the constituency, communal equations, etc., shows the dominance of the UDF. Public opinion is that if the left movement in the campaign turns into votes for Ani Raja, there will be a significant decline in Rahul’s majority.
The flag controversy
A large army of national leaders came to Wayanad for campaigning. Nationally discussed controversies also emerged in the campaign field. The UDF’s decision not to use any flag for campaigning, fearing that the Muslim League’s flag would be used as a weapon by the BJP on a national basis, became a major debate. Armed with this, the Left raised the question of whether those who did not even use the flag for fear of the Sangh Parivar were fighting fascism.
The UDF responded by attacking the Chief Minister. The UDF has made it a propaganda tool that the Chief Minister is silent against the BJP and that the National Investigation Agencies are not taking action on the allegations against him and his family. National leaders of the Congress and Chief Ministers of various states hurled accusations against Pinarayi Vijayan on campaign platforms.
Ganapathivattam
BJP candidate K Surendran had said in the first phase of the campaign that he would change the name of Sultan Batheri to Ganapativattam. The aim behind it was to create sectarianism and win votes. However, as opposition arose in the constituency, it backed down. The Prime Minister’s anti-Muslim remarks, CAA, NRC, Electoral Bond and the financial crisis in the state were all discussed in the election.
wildlife
Among local issues, wildlife attacks in Wayanad were prominent. The LDF said in its manifesto that it will amend the Forest and Wildlife Act. This was not in the UDF manifesto. Although this was discussed, all the national leaders of the Congress who came to Wayanad promised to amend the Forest and Wildlife Act.
BJP also raised the same opinion. The night travel ban on the national highway, the alternative route of the pass and the railway were discussed.
The Congress and League leaders in the constituency believe that the result of this election will once again signal Rahul’s popularity.
This time there are around one lakh girl voters. According to the UDF, a large number of them had campaigned for Rahul Gandhi before the election was announced.
The Left says that the votes of workers, including those belonging to the unorganized sector, and women belonging to religious minorities are beyond political considerations. The BJP leadership believes that Surendran will increase the 78,590 votes that the NDA got last time to one and a quarter lakh.
