'Future PM' tag Rahul's USP in Wayanad

A pro-Rahul Gandhi wave seems to be prevailing at the high-range district Wayanad as many voters see it as a chance to vote for the future Prime Minister of India.

Even pro-CPM and pro-BJP voters admit that Rahul’s victory is almost sure. The Rahul wave is mostly prevalent among the young and new voters of the constituency, which comes to around one lakh.

Congress obviously got upper hand in the three assembly segments of Wayanad constituency that is in Malappuram district. The Indian Union Muslim League, a key partner of the Congress in Kerala, had high influence in these Muslim dominated places.

It is this pro-Muslim factor that the Left-front and the BJP use to give communal colour to Rahul's Wayanad candidature by alleging the Rahul was eyeing the minority community votes.

The crucial votes will be that of the three constituencies that fall with in Wayanad district - Kalpetta, Mananthavady and Sulthan Batherry. Left-front won two of this constituencies in the 2016 Assembly elections.

A CPI worker of Wayanad told DH that an assessment by the party found that the young voters with no political priorities were highly influenced by the Rahul factor.

Rajan, an autorickshaw driver in Kalpetta town, said that the only question was whether Rahul cross the 1.5 lakh majority secured by Congress candidate M I Shanavaz in 2009 election. Rahul S, a young engineer at Kalpetta, also said that Rahul's high profile was attracting the youngsters.

A large section of farmers and traders of Wayanad strongly feel that the wrong policies of the Narendra Modi government, like demonetisation and GST, had badly hit their business. There is also an anti-incumbency factor against the Left-front government in Kerala as the post-flood rehabilitation drives have not been very effective. Also, there were reports of farmers’ suicide owing to debt.

While NDA candidate Thushar Vellapally reiterates that the fight in the constituency is going to be between him and Rahul, CPI national secretary D Raja said that Thushar may not even get the minimum votes to save the money he deposited to contest the polls.

The constituency is also likely to witness some political currents as many BJP-RSS workers are unhappy over the decision to field Thushar Vellapally. They feel that a senior BJP leader should have fought against Rahul. Hence the chances of these section ensuring a befitting defeat to Thushar could not be ruled out.