BJP to give Rahul Gandhi a tough fight

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With Congress president Rahul Gandhi expected to contest from Wayanad, BJP may take back the seat from BDJS. BJP state president P. S. Sreedharan Pillai said in Kochi that the party will fight tooth and nail if Rahul Gandhi contests from Wayanad. There are efforts to bring in Union textiles minister Smriti Irani to contest against the Congress president in Wayanad.

Mr Pillai informed that the changed political scenario has already been appraised before the central leadership. “The sentiments of the party workers and BJP district leadership in Wayanad would be informed before the central leadership as well as the BDJS leadership. I cannot rule out the possibility of taking back the Wayanad LS seat from the BDJS. If Rahul contests we will try to bring in his rival candidate in Amethi, Smriti Irani”, he said .

BJP Wayanad district president A. P. Saji Sank-ar spoke to Sreedharan Pillai and has urged to field a formidable candidate in case Rahul Gandhi decides to contest from Wayanad.

“BJP workers in Wayanad believe that a strong candidate should be fielded if the Congress president contests from here. I have not formally given a request in writing before Sreedharan Pillai. If Rahul Gandhi decides to contest, then the seat allocated to BDJS should be taken back by the BJP”, said SajiSankar to DC.

BDJS has been considering Kerala Congress State organising secretary Anto Augustine for Wayanad constituency as an NDA-backed independent candidate. When DC spoke to Tushar Vellapally, BDJS president, on whether he would cede the seat, he maintained that it is difficult to comment on it without discussing it before the party forum.

“We have not yet taken a decision to cede the allocated Wayanad seat to BJP. Let me first take it up before the state committee of the BDJS on Wednesday, when we are supposed to announce the candidates to the remaining four Lok Sabha seats”, said Tushar.