Guessing game continues in Congress on Rahul Gandhi

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The guessing game on  Congress president Rahul Gandhi's  candidature in Wayanad continues. He has  kept silent on it during the press conference held in Delhi on Monday to announce the minimum income scheme for the poor as part of the party's upcoming manifesto.    

The KPCC leaders  hope  that he will not let them down, but PCC president Mullapally Ramachandran said, "Rahul Gandhi will not run away from Amethi and will contest from there. He will emerge victorious from Amethi,"  he  said.

The Congress leaders are worried as to how to end the stalemate over Wayanad.  Even  the 10th and  11th  lists released by the AICC  do not contain  Vatakara and Wayanad.

CWC member  Oommen Chandy has asked the Wayanad DCC officials to campaign for Rahul Gandhi. However, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala told reporters in New Delhi that  a final decision on Rahul Gandhi's candidature was  yet to be taken.

 Rahul  had held talks with senior  leaders about Wayanad and other seats in South India from where he can opt to contest.

AICC organising general secretary K. C. Venugopal and treasurer Motilal Vora remained tight-lipped when they accompanied Rahul on their way to attend the CWC meeting. When reporters asked him about Wayanad, Rahul smiled and walked away to the AICC headquarters.

The CWC  discussed the election manifesto for over  two hours.

After the meeting when Rahul announced about the minimum income scheme, he said  he will not answer questions on other issues. Later,  after the central election committee meeting, Surjewala said  a decision was yet to be taken on Rahul's  candidature.

 Mr Mullapally  said that the candidates in  Wayanad and Vatakara would be announced soon. "K. Muraleedharan will romp home with a thumping majority in Vatakara,"  he said.