CPI's D Raja expresses dismay over Congress fielding Rahul Gandhi from Wayanad

Communist Party of India (CPI) general secretary D Raja on Saturday said a leader of Rahul Gandhi's stature should contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from a seat where he can directly challenge the ruling BJP, even as he said it is a political party's prerogative to decide who would it field from a seat.

The remarks came a day after the Congress announced that Gandhi will contest the parliamentary polls, likely to be held in April-May, from Wayanad in Kerala, the seat he currently represents in the Lok Sabha.

CPI's Annie Raja, wife of D Raja, has been fielded as the Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate from Wayanad.

Asked about the Congress's decision to field Gandhi from Wayanad, Raja said, "Within the LDF, the CPI has got four seats to contest and Wayanad is one of those, so we have announced our candidate. Secondly, it is the prerogative of any political party to choose its candidate from a constituency. In this case, it is the prerogative of the Congress." However, he pointed out that Gandhi is not a state leader, but a national leader and a former president of the Congress.

"Rahul Gandhi's stature is such that he should have fought (the polls) from any other seat, directly confronting the BJP," the CPI leader said.

"Rahul Gandhi organised the Bharat Jodo Yatra. It was good and all of us welcomed it. He has been pointing out that the ideology of the BJP-RSS is responsible for disharmony, disunity among people and divisions in the society. Now, he is holding the nyay yatra.... Who is denying nyay (justice) to people? It is the ideology of the BJP-RSS combine.

"If that is so, while fighting (polls) from Wayanad, what message is he conveying to people? Raja asked, adding that Gandhi and the Congress must seriously introspect about who do they consider their primary target, the BJP or the Left.

Gandhi will contest the general election from Wayanad once again as the Congress announced its first list of 39 candidates on Friday.

Commenting on the situation in Bihar, Raja said, "Not just (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah and (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi, everybody is scared of the development taking place in Bihar. I was in Bihar recently to attend a rally. It was a huge rally, people turned up in lakhs and they conveyed a message. The BJP (NDA) has taken Nitish Kumar into its fold, but people are very clear in their mind about protecting Bihar and protecting India. They are determined to stand up and fight," he said.

"Amit Shah, Modi are trying to divide people. Why are they not agreeing on caste surveys in other parts of the country where they have governments? Amit Shah and Modi do not have any substantial issue of livelihood for people," the Left leader said.

Asked about the rift between INDIA opposition bloc partners National Conference and People's Democratic Party in Jammu and Kashmir, he said, "I do not think it is a direct confrontation between the PDP and the NC. There are problems as far as seat sharing is concerned. Seat-sharing problems are there in other states too. Even in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, it is not finalised. In Uttar Pradesh, some understanding has been reached, but how it is going to be, we have to wait and see. Every party will have their own interest, it has to be talked about and sorted out."