Kerala CPI in dilemma over Wayanad contestant against Priyanka Gandhi

Thiruvananthapuram, July 17 (IANS) The Kerala unit of the CPI has not been able to decide on the candidate for the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat after its contestant Annie Raja fared badly in the recent general elections.

The party seems to be in a dilemma about taking on Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Wayanad Lok Sabha fell vacant after the winner Rahul Gandhi decided to give it up and retain the Rae Bareli constituency in Uttar Pradesh. He, later announced the candidature of his sister, Priyanka Gandhi, from the seat.

The CPI is part of the INDIA bloc at the national level. At the same time, in Kerala, they are the second biggest ally in the ruling CPI(M)-led Left government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Their biggest enemy in the state is the Congress party.

Though Annie Raja, seen as a national leader of the CPI, lost badly to Gandhi from the Wayanad seat, the only solace was she was able to bring down the margin of defeat from 4.37 lakh votes in 2019 to 3.64 lakh votes.

Just the other day Annie Raja, wife of CPI General Secretary D. Raja, minced no words during a meeting of the party leaders saying that she was particularly not keen on but was forced to contest by Binoy Viswan.

With Annie Raja expressing her displeasure, it has now become clear that she is not keen to take on Priyanka Gandhi and the onus is now on the Kerala unit of the CPI to find a candidate. While the Congress-led UDF is confident of retaining the seat, the only discussion in Wayanad is over the margin of victory.

The CPI contested four out of 20 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The party won one seat here in 2014 and with Wayanad beyond their reach, they are in a spot of bother as another major defeat could leave them in deeper trouble.

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