Wayanad: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s roadshow organized in Wayanad on Wednesday was completely different from the 2019 programme. In those elections, the green flags of ally Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) in the crowd outnumbered those of the Congress party. This time, flags of both the parties were not visible during the roadshow. All major constituents of the United Democratic Front (UDF), including Congress ally IUML, participated in the roadshow organized in Kalpetta, Wayanad. UDF workers mainly held placards with photographs of Rahul Gandhi and Congress’ election symbol ‘hand’.
Amit Shah had given this statement in 2019
Let us tell you that throughout the road show, party workers were holding balloons of different colors instead of flags. A Congress source said that during the election campaign in 2019, senior BJP leader Amit Shah had made a statement criticizing Gandhi for contesting from the Kerala constituency during a rally in the region, saying it was difficult to recognize that it was Is it India or Pakistan? Shah had indirectly mentioned the presence of IUML’s green flags during the Congress leader’s roadshow.
CPM took a dig at Congress
The source said that Congress might have decided not to display flags during rallies and roadshows this time due to concerns about such possible negative reactions from BJP. The source said there is a fear that if the flags are displayed, the BJP may use it as an opportunity for ‘propaganda’ against Rahul Gandhi. Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) took a dig at the Congress for not displaying flags of alliance partner IUML at Gandhi’s road show and alleged that such a step was taken considering its repercussions in North India.
‘IUML flags would have outweighed Congress’
Speaking at Rahul Gandhi’s roadshow, CPM state secretary M.V. Govindan said, ‘If the flags were displayed, the IUML flags would have overshadowed the Congress flags. What would have been the scene in North India if the Congress flag and IUML flag had been displayed? Therefore, they decided not to carry Congress or IUML flags during the roadshow.’ Hitting back at the CPM leader, Congress MLA T Siddiqui said such comments revealed the party’s ‘dirty politics’.
‘Not flags, but election symbols are important’
Hitting back at CPM, Siddiqui said, ‘It is not flags but election symbols that are important. They don’t have any other issue, so they are doing dirty politics. There are many parties in UDF. Since Rahul Gandhi is our candidate and hand is our election symbol, we decided on one candidate, one symbol (for the roadshow). (Language)
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