The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday claimed that Rahul Gandhi's decision to vacate the Wayanad seat, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's subsequent candidacy for it, proves that the Congress party is nothing but a family business. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge announced that Gandhi will hold on to the Rae Bareli seat and Vadra will contest from Wayanad. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla called the move a betrayal of the Wayanad constituency and accused the Gandhi family of prioritizing their own political legacy over the welfare of the people. He also alleged that the decision was made to prevent the BJP from winning the seat in the bye-elections after Gandhi's victory with support from the Samajwadi Party.
Rahul Gandhi's Departure from Wayanad and the Allegations of Family Dominance
On Monday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raised concerns about Rahul Gandhi's decision to vacate the Wayanad parliamentary seat and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's subsequent candidacy, alleging that it exposed the Congress party's status as a family business.
Background
Rahul Gandhi was initially elected from both Wayanad in Kerala and Amethi in Uttar Pradesh in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. However, he had previously announced that he would only retain one seat. On Monday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge clarified that Gandhi would continue to represent Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh, while Vadra would contest from Wayanad.
BJP's Allegations
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla slammed the move, accusing the Congress of prioritizing the Gandhi family's political legacy over the welfare of the Wayanad constituency. He claimed that the decision was intended to prevent the BJP from winning the seat in the upcoming bye-election, since Gandhi had secured a significant victory with the support of the Samajwadi Party in the original polls.
Congress's Response
The Congress has refuted the BJP's allegations, arguing that the seat distribution was made based on the party's assessment of electoral prospects and the need to strengthen its presence in different regions. They emphasized that both Gandhi and Vadra have a deep connection with Wayanad and Rae Bareli, respectively.
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