Kerala’s Wayanad: The other constituency Congress chief Rahul Gandhi is fighting from

The quaint region of Wayanad is witnessing some hectic political activity.AICC President Rahul Gandhi has chosen Wayanad as his second seat to contest the Lok Sabha elections - also being called as his safe seat by many owing to its substantial minority population.

Wayanad is a picturesque district nestled in the eco-sensitive Western Ghats, but the parliamentary constituency spreads across three districts - Wayanad, Malappuram and Kozhikode.

Under Wayanad district, the constituency has Mananthavady, Sulthan Bathery and Kalpetta, Thiruvamabady in Kozhikode district and Nilambur, Wandoor and Eranad in Malappuram.

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According to the 2011 census data, Wayanad has 28.8% Muslims, 21.5% Christians and 49.5% Hindus. In Mallapuram the Muslim population is stronger at 70%, Christians at 21.5% and Hindus at 28%. In Kozhikode too, Muslims play a decisive role in electorally with a population of 39.24%.

But there is more than one reason for Rahul Gandhi to contest from this second seat. While one popular perception is that the AICC chief needed a safer seat than Amethi, the truth is Congress in Kerala also desperately needed the national leader to hold its factions together.

The two warring groups within the state Congress, one led by former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and the other led by Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennitala, were at loggerheads over the candidate from Wayanad.

Though Oommen Chandy's close aide T Siddique was finally chosen for the job, the party looked up to Rahul Gandhi to save it from self-destructive dissidence.

'All the rank and file of the party and UDF are in a good mood to welcome Rahul Ji. The people of Wayanad now feel that through Rahul Ji's candidature their problems will finally be addressed and heard at the national level. It is for the first time Kerala is witnessing such a candidature' asserted Siddique while speaking to WION, as the two factions seem to have finally united for the elections.

But in its supposed battle for secularism against the BJP, Congress seems to have rubbed off the LDF in Kerala. Wayanad has barely any presence of the saffron party and the state's ruling LDF is its prime opposition.

The Left candidate from Wayanad, PP Suneer, has been vocally critical of the Congress leader's candidature from the region. 'Rahul Gandhi's decision is a Himalayan blunder. It is disappointing to the secular, democratic forces in India. This is a direct fight between LDF and UDF. The BJP has no presence. Around 600 farmers committed suicide in the district during the UPA government's tenure and the previous Congress MP Shanavas failed to address many problems. Wayanad will be Rahul Gandhi's Waterloo. He will be surely defeated' says Suneer as he carries on his third round of the door-to-door campaign. In response, Congress claims the Left is merely rattled. 'In the elections, the LDF has decided to contest some seats in Kerala. According to a survey report, they will not get any seats in West Bengal, they will lose in Tripura and they had hopes only with Kerala. But with Rahul Gandhi's candidature, their hopes have been dashed' responded Congress' Siddique. However, LDF asserts that it will put up a tough fight as it has 4 out of the 7 MLAs, 4 out of the 5 municipalities and 29 out of 50-gram panchayats in the constituency.

The third candidate pitted against Rahul Gandhi is NDA'S Thussar Vellapally. The President of Bharat Dharma Jana Sena or BDJS that has entered into an alliance with the BJP, Thussar Vellapally is the son of Vellapally Natesan, the tallest Ezhava Caste leader, a backward community that enjoys substantial strength in the region.

'We are only talking about development. Kerala is not like other states. We are not here to communally balance. BDJS has followers from all communities. All communities will vote for me. There are 50% Hindus here. I will get votes from all communities' says Thussar Vellapally while speaking to WION.

Interestingly senior Vellapally who is the General Secretary of the community organisation SNDP has backed LDF and portrays opposing views on several issues like the Women's Wall in Kerala on the Sabarimala issue.

This is the first time Rahul Gandhi will be contesting from the South of India where surveys indicate that he enjoys more popularity than Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Though other states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka had also urged the party president to contest, Rahul Gandhi seems to have chosen Kerala where Congress continues to enjoy dominance.