Lok Sabha elections 2024: Is BJP awaiting Rahul's decision on Wayanad?

Thiruvananthapuram: The BJP seems to be awaiting a decision of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's candidature at Wayanad in Kerala to decide the NDA candidate for the high-range constituency.

Even as the BJP announced candidates for 12 of the 20 seats in Kerala, a decision on Wayanad is still pending.

Though there were reports that tribal leader C K Janu is being considered as NDA candidate in Wayanad, a final decision is likely to be taken only after Congress announces its candidate for Wayanad.

BJP's coalition partner BDJS's top leader Thushar Vellappally had contested as NDA candidate in 2019. The seat was allotted to BDJS before the surprise decision of Rahul to contest from Wayanad came.

Vellappally got only 7.25 per cent votes, while Rahul won with 65 per cent votes and CPI was runner-up with 25 per cent votes.

BJP had been planning to field a prominent leader at Wayanad if Rahul would be in the fray again.

BJP top leaders, including union minister Smriti Irani, who defeated Rahul at Amethi, had been visiting Wayanad over the last couple of years highlighting the centre's scheme for the district.

BJP district leaders had earlier told DH that if Rahul was contesting again a prominent BJP leader could be fielded as NDA candidate.

CPI senior leader Annie Raja is the left-front candidate at Wayanad and she has already begun campaigning.

CPM and CPI, which are part of I.N.D.I.A., had raised strong objection against Rahul contesting from Wayanad, citing that the Congress national leader contesting in Kerala where CPM-CPI are the main opposition parties would weaken the joint fight of opposition parties against the BJP at the national level.

However, Congress sources said that since Wayanad is a safe seat for Rahul, the chances of him giving up the seat is remote.