Of the many strategic moves the Congress party has employed in past few months in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls, its president, Rahul Gandhi, contesting from Kerala's Wayanad, in addition to Uttar Pradesh's Amethi, is the most thought-provoking.
After the Congress party's refusal to align with the Left in West Bengal, the CPI(M) and other parties had expected it to be more accommodating in sharing seats in other states. The decision has, hence, 'left' the Left front perplexed.
Sources say the Congress is treating the Lok Sabha polls as its last resort and is salvaging its own pride before that of its allies'.
"All southern states have requested the Congress president to contest from their states. After enough deliberations he has decided to contest from Wayanad, which shares its borders with two other states, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu," senior Congress leader AK Antony said, while announcing the decision.
BUT, WHY WAYANAD?
Located 450 kilometres north of the state capital at the tri-junction of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Wayanad is a party bastion. In the parliamentary constituency, the Congress' vote share was 41 per cent in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls -- almost four times that of the BJP's (9 per cent). The CPI's vote share was 39 per cent. In the 2009 polls, the Congress' vote share was 50 per cent against the BJP's 4 per cent.
Congress leaders, sources say, feel that Rahul Gandhi's presence in Wayanad will enthuse the voters in the two neighbouring states also -- along with ensuring a sweep for the party in the concerned seat.
For the unversed, the Congress is contesting in Karnataka in an alliance with the Janata Dal (Secular), and with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led alliance in Tamil Nadu.
THE HINDU MUSLIM MATH
Wayanad was formed during the delimitation exercise of 2008. The region traditionally has had a higher percentage of Muslim population -- as compared to the rest of the state. Hindus form 49 per cent of the population as against 49 per cent of the combined Muslim-Christian numbers. This data pertains to the district-wise distribution.
Muslims are in a majority in the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency -- constituting nearly half of the total population. The point to be noted here is the population data for the Lok Sabha constituency is different from the district-wise division because the parliamentary constituency comprises of assembly segments spread over three districts -- Wayanad, Kozhikode and Malapurram.
Interestingly, it was the Left that had launched a massive protest against the BJP over the mob-lynching episodes.
SOUTH VS NORTH
The reason, however, that forms the crux of the decision is that Rahul Gandhi is more popular than Prime Minister Narendra Modi in South India -- as opposed to North India. And what better way to cash in on that than to contest from a certified party bastion in Kerala!
UNITED OPPOSITION?
The 22 Opposition parties have been rallying against the BJP in a bid to oust PM Modi from power. The cracks in the Mahagathbandhan have, however, been in the form of the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) alliance in Uttar Pradesh -- excluding the Congress.
The only respite came in the form of the SP-BSP alliance not fielding any candidate from Congress' bastions in the state -- Amethi and Raebareli.
It, then, remains to be seen if the Left parties strive to keep the gathbandhan intact and withdraw the candidate against Rahul Gandhi or give the BJP another reason to attack them.
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