Kerala seat to help fight PM’s South hostility: Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Claiming that people in South of India “feel hostility” from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi said he had decided to contest from Wayanad in Kerala to send out a positive message to people there.

Mr Gandhi is scheduled to file his nomination from Wayanad on Wednesday, accompanied by his sister Priyanka Gandhi. On Sunday, the Congress had announced  that party Mr Gandhi will contest from Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala, besides his traditional stronghold of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.

“There is a feeling in South India, a very strong feeling in South India, that they are not being carried (along) by the current government. South India feels hostility from Mr Narendra Modi, they feel that they are not being included in the decisions of the country,” Mr Gandhi said releasing his party's manifesto here.

The Congress' announcement that the party chief will contest from Wayanad  had evoked sharp reactions from the Left and Right of the political spectrum.

While the CPI(M) and CPI had questioned his judgement saying the move signalled the Congress wanted to take on the Left which would work towards defeating him in the elections from Wayanad, BJP chief Amit Shah reacted to the development saying Gandhi has “fled to Kerala as he fears that Amethi voters will seek an account from him”.

Further, addressing a rally in Wardha, Maharashtra, on Monday, the Prime Minister said the Congress is scared to field its leaders from constituencies where the majority dominates in terms of voter-base.