Wayanad: BJP plans to field high-profile candidate

With the Wayanad constituency in Kerala under the consideration of Congress president Rahul Gandhi as a second seat to contest from, the BJP is planning to put up a good fight in the constituency.

According to BJP sources, in case Rahul decides to contest from Wayanad, the allotment of the seat to BJP's coalition partner Bharat Dharma Jana Sena will be taken back.

BJP may even field national leaders against Rahul at Wayanad.

Senior CPM leaders, including Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and S Ramachandran Pillai, said that Rahul contesting in Kerala would help the BJP at the national level as it would send the message that the main rival of the Congress is not the BJP alone, but the Left Front also.

CPI's P P Suneer is the Left front candidate in Wayanad. Even if Rahul contests there, the Left front is unlikely to replace him with any high-profile candidates, said Left front sources.

A final decision on whether Rahul will contest from Wayanad will be known by Monday, Congress leaders said.

Meanwhile, reports of Rahul's possible nomination from Wayanad has triggered trolls. Kerala minister K T Jaleel said that, so far, migrants workers were being engaged by political parties in Kerala only for sticking posters and creating graffiti. Now, he said, it seems migrants are being considered for contesting polls also.