'Congress, Left not allies in Kerala...' Jairam Ramesh on CPI's Annie Raja taking on Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that though the Left is an ally of the INDI Alliance, it is not the same in Kerala. Both the Congress and the Left are at different ends of the political spectrum. He was responding to Rahul Gandhi's candidature in Wayanad while CPI nominated Annie Raja in the constituency.

Delhi: The AICC leadership has hinted that Congress MP Rahul Gandhi will contest in Wayanad itself for the upcoming Lok Sabha election. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said that Rahul's contesting in Kerala will not be a hindrance to the INDI Alliance and that the fight is between the left and right fronts in Kerala. The Congress's assertion came after Annie Raja, wife of CPI general secretary D Raja, was nominated to contest from the pivotal Wayanad constituency, a seat presently held by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Jairam Ramesh told reporters, "The Left parties are very much part of the INDIA group. It has always been understood that this does not preclude group partners from contesting against each other in different states especially Kerala."

He claimed, "The Left and the Congress are allies in some states, but in Kerala, we have always opposed each other electorally and we will continue to do so."

When asked if she thought Rahul Gandhi would contest against her in Wayanad, Annie Raja responded that each party had the right to make its own decisions and that she was unable to comment on any speculative questions.

Brinda Karat of the CPI(M) Polit Bureau questioned the "message" that a contest of this nature in Wayanad would impart at a time when the opposition parties are preparing an anti-BJP campaign for the Lok Sabha election 2024.

She said, "The question here is not whether it is the right thing or wrong thing, that is for the Congress to decide. Our limited point here is that you (the Congress) are saying that you are fighting against the BJP, but the seat that you have picked will contest against a CPI candidate. Congress needs to decide what message they want to deliver by doing so."