Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, fighting the second seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from another perceived stronghold of the party in Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh, may have brought himself to challenge the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Hindi heartland. But a win in both seats, including Wayanad, where he is seeking a re-election, may put the Congress party in a predicament in Kerala.
If Mr. Gandhi relinquishes the Wayanad seat, many Congress leaders believe that it will impact the Congress party’s prospects in the Kerala Assembly elections in 2026.
Besides, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) may likely intensify its demand for a third seat if a by-election occurs in the Wayanad constituency, as the party has been maintaining that Mr. Gandhi’s core supporters are from the IUML in the constituency spread over three Assembly segments in Wayanad district, three in Malappuram, and one in Kozhikode. Besides, the looming vacancy of a winnable Rajya Sabha seat in July is hanging over the head of the Congress leadership.
