Wayanad, Oct 28 (IANS): Congress General Secretary and Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency candidate Priyanka Gandhi on Monday slammed Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over appeasement politics, saying he (Vijayan) is now trying to appease the majority community.
“During the general elections, Pinarayi Vijayan tried to appease the minorities by discussing the CAA issue. But after the setback from the minority community, he has now started to appease the majority community,” Priyanka told media persons while talking about Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s comparison of the RSS and Jamaat-e-Islami.
She added that Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) has supported CPI-M in the last five elections in the state.
“For the last 30 years, CPI-M got the support of the JeI. When Jamaat was with CPI-M, they were secular but after they left the CPI-M, all of a sudden became communal. This is sheer opportunism on part of CPI-M. All communities have started to leave CPI-M one after the other,” added Priyanka.
She also brushed aside the BJP’s allegation about her election affidavit, saying that the BJP is seeking attention.
“The objections raised by the BJP have been rejected by the authorities. Their allegations are baseless. They (BJP) only want attention,” the Congress General Secretary said.
Later arriving at the WMO College in Wayanad and addressing the students, she said that campaigning for her own self is altogether a different feeling.
“It’s a new feeling for me,” said Priyanka where a large number of students were out to listen to hear her.
She then asked the large gathering what is the one thing that they want for Wayanad. “A medical college,” came the reply.
She responded that Rahul Gandhi did work for a medical college for Wayanad but there were some hiccups and the project could not get a proper shape.
“I will fight for the medical college here. We will all fight together for it,” said Priyanka amidst thunderous applause.
Responding to a question from the media persons that she will not be seen in Wayanad after the elections, Priyanka said that the elections are not over and let us wait for the right time.
Priyanka arrived in Wayanad on Monday. She will address meetings in each of the seven Assembly constituencies in Wayanad, which goes to the polls on November 13.
The by-election became a necessity after her brother Rahul Gandhi vacated the seat after retaining the Raebareli Lok Sabha seat in the 2024 general elections.
The CPI has fielded veteran former legislator Sathyan Mokeri who finished a close third during the 2014 general elections in Wayanad while the BJP has brought in young Kozhikode Corporation party Councilor Navya Haridas, a former software engineer who quit her job and plunged into full-time politics.
Rahul Gandhi won the 2019 general elections with a margin of 4.60 lakh from Wayanad which came down to 3.64 lakh in the 2024 general elections.