Malappuram (Kerala), June 12 — Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who secured victories in both the Wayanad and Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 general elections, revealed on Wednesday that he is grappling with the decision of which constituency to retain.
Speaking at a public meeting, Gandhi expressed his gratitude to the people of Wayanad for re-electing him and assured them, “I look forward to seeing you soon.” He acknowledged the challenge before him, stating, “I have a dilemma before me, whether I should be the MP of Wayanad or of Rae Bareli. What I will commit to you is that both Wayanad and Rae Bareli will be happy with my decision.”
This appearance marked his first visit to Kerala after winning the Wayanad seat by a significant margin for the second consecutive time. During his speech, Gandhi took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, contrasting his own decision-making process with Modi’s claim of divine guidance. “He (Modi) has a strange God. He makes him (Modi) take all the decisions in favour of Adani and Ambani. Unfortunately, unlike him, I am not guided by God. I am a human being.”
Gandhi criticized Modi’s alleged favoritism towards industrialists Adani and Ambani and the controversial Agniveer scheme. “For me, it is much simpler. My God are the poor people of India. My gods are the people of Wayanad,” he emphasized, underscoring his commitment to serving the populace.
Reflecting on the recent electoral battle, Gandhi highlighted the fight to protect the Indian Constitution, where “hatred has been defeated by love and affection, and arrogance by humility.” He contrasted the diverse aspirations of millions of Indians with the centralized control sought by Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
Gandhi argued that the BJP misjudged the power of the electorate. “The people of Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, and all other states showed the PM that you cannot dictate to us what we want. The people of India told them that the Constitution is our voice. Do not touch the Constitution.”
He pointed out the near-defeat of Modi in Varanasi and BJP’s loss in Ayodhya, suggesting that even traditional strongholds are rejecting divisive politics. “The single biggest message that the people of India gave was that we have multiple traditions, states, religions, and histories, and every single one of them was going to be respected,” Gandhi declared.
Concluding his speech, Gandhi described the current government as a “crippled one” and claimed the opposition had dealt a significant blow to the BJP. He reiterated the Congress’s commitment to an “alternative vision for the people of India – a pro-poor compassionate vision” and vowed to continue fighting for a fairer and more productive society.
