Kalpetta (Kerala): Congress president Rahul Gandhi is heading for a record-breaking margin against his nearest rival CPI’s PP Suneer in the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency here Thursday, as roads in front of counting centres in this hill town wore a deserted look. As counting progressed, Gandhi established a lead of over three lakh votes, probably the biggest margin in the Lok Sabha elections in the Kerala.
Local leaders assembled at the District Congress Committee office and burst crackers in anticipation of the big win and shouted slogans congratulating the Congress chief. However, there was a palpable sense of disappointment with the Congress-led UPA’s poor show in other states with senior leaders trailing according to the latest trends.
Rahul is contesting a second seat from the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency nestled in the Western Ghats, besides his traditional bastion of Amethi. The Congress chief is lagging behind BJP’s Smriti Irani in Amethi, according to the Election Commission (EC).
It is good that Rahul decided to contest from a second seat as it doesn’t look like he will be able to make up the deficiency at the Amethi constituency.
As Rahul crossed the record-breaking three lakh margin, Congress workers took out a procession from the DCC office Rajiv Bhavan to SKMJ High School, the counting Centre. A few of them marched to Kalpetta town holding Congress flags.
“You are seeing a Rahul wave across Kerala,” AICC member and former Kerala minister PK Jayalakshmisaid as the counting progressed.
It should be stated here that the Congress-led UDF is leading in most of the 20 constituencies in Kerala.
PTI
