BJP candidate K Surendran, who is contesting against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad, exuded confidence in his victory, stating that the people of the constituency are keen on welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi. BJP Tamil Nadu chief K Annamalai also expressed confidence in Surendran’s triumph, emphasizing that Surendran’s focus is on serving the people rather than defeating Gandhi. Surendran, accompanied by Annamalai, who contested from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, held a roadshow in Wayanad on Wednesday. The campaigning for the second phase of elections will conclude today at 6 pm, with polling scheduled for April 26.
Surendran expressed his optimism in an interview with ANI, saying, “You can witness the enthusiasm of the people in this election campaign. The people of Wayanad are eager to bid farewell to Rahul Gandhi and welcome PM Modi. This is the slogan of Wayanad. I anticipate BJP winning 10 out of 20 seats in Kerala.”
The BJP Kerala state president also emphasized that only PM Modi can effectively address the issue of wild animal attacks in Wayanad. He added that the party’s election manifesto addresses the human-wildlife conflict. Surendran criticized the Congress party for Sam Pitroda’s remarks on inheritance tax, stating that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party “work against India.”
“Rahul Gandhi travels abroad and speaks negatively about India. He claims that there is no democracy in India, yet India is referred to as the ‘Mother of Democracy.’ He alleges that the electoral system is flawed and that EVMs are tampered with. Rahul Gandhi is an irresponsible individual. He leads the Tukde-Tukde Gang and Urban Naxals,” Surendran asserted.
During the roadshow, Tamil Nadu BJP chief Annamalai questioned whether Rahul Gandhi could provide a report detailing his accomplishments for his constituency over the past five years. Annamalai stated to ANI, “K Surendran will win by a margin that India will remember. He is not here to defeat Rahul Gandhi; he is here to serve the people.”
“Can Rahul Gandhi present a white paper outlining his achievements in Wayanad over the last five years? He has visited Wayanad less than 10 times, and now he only comes for elections,” Annamalai added.
He emphasized that the people of Wayanad desire a “son of the soil” who can support plantation workers and implement central government programs in the region. The BJP state leader also criticized the Congress party for Sam Pitroda’s statement, questioning the intentions of Rahul Gandhi and his party.
“Rahul Gandhi advocates for resource redistribution and wants to conduct financial and institutional surveys. Sam Pitroda has gone a step further, suggesting that the government impose a 55 percent wealth tax on inheritance… This only serves to clarify the Congress mindset,” the BJP leader stated.
“The contours of the economic model they are developing are becoming clear, and Sam Pitroda has revealed their true intentions… Why should people allow financial surveys to be conducted in their homes?… Can Congress clarify Rahul Gandhi’s remarks? Mangalsutra is an asset in every family, and PM Narendra Modi echoed the sentiments expressed by Rahul Gandhi and Sam Pitroda,” he added.
A controversy arose after Sam Pitroda, the Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, discussed the idea of inheritance tax in America while emphasizing the need for a policy on wealth redistribution. He stated that these issues need to be addressed. Although the Congress party has distanced itself from the comments, claiming that inheritance tax laws do not represent the party’s position, the BJP has launched a scathing attack on the Congress party.
On April 26, all 26 seats in Kerala will vote. The counting of votes is scheduled for June 4. In 2019, Congress won 19 out of 20 seats in the state, while CPI (M) won the lone seat. BJP failed to secure any seats.
