Rahul Gandhi arrives in Wayanad on thanksgiving visit, given rousing welcome

Malappuram: Congress president Rahul Gandhi arrived in Kerala's Wayanad – his Lok Sabha constituency – on a three-day thanksgiving visit on Friday.

The Congress chief had won from Wayanad by a record margin of over 4.31 lakh votes in the recently concluded Lok Sabha election 2019.

However, he could not retain his Amethi seat in Uttar Pradesh – a Congress stronghold for many decades -  BJP's Smriti Irani.

Before leaving for Kerala, Rahul tweeted, "I will be in Wayanad, Kerala, starting this afternoon and till Sunday to meet citizens and Congress party workers. It's a packed schedule with over 15 public receptions planned over the next three days."

I will be in Wayanad, Kerala starting this afternoon and till Sunday to meet citizens & Congress Party workers. It’s a packed schedule with over 15 public receptions planned over the next 3 days. pic.twitter.com/1r71RsgI9X — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 7, 2019

According to reports, the Gandhi scion landed at Kozhikode airport around 2 PM and is scheduled to participate in at least 15 public receptions across the constituency, spread over in the districts of Wayanad, Malappuram and Kozhikode, in the next three days.

Rahul was given a rousing welcome by thousands of party workers and leaders at the airport. 

#WATCH Congress President Rahul Gandhi arrives at Kalikavu in Malappuram district in Kerala. Today, he begins his three-day visit to the state after Lok Sabha elections. pic.twitter.com/e2tTizHIff — ANI (@ANI) June 7, 2019

The Congress national president is attending a public function for the first time after the party's drubbing in the general elections.

According to Congress party sources, Rahul is expected to be at Kalikavu in Malappuram district on Friday evening.

Upon his arrival here, Rahul  met senior UDF leaders, including Ramesh Chennithala and P K Kunhalikutty.

A senior Congress leader from the constituency said that Rahul Gandhi's visit will boost the morale of the party workers to fight the Assembly bypolls.
"He will also take part in roadshows at Nilambur and Eranad," senior Congress leader and Wandoor MLA A P Anil Kumar said.

After visiting the facilitation centre at Wayanad collectorate, Gandhi will take part in various public functions organised by the party in the constituency.

He will be accorded reception at Kalpetta, Kambalkadu, Panamaram, Mananthavadi, Pulpally and Sultan Batheri and will also attend a roadshow in Kozhikode Assembly constituency on June 9, before leaving for Delhi.

In his first communication as an MP, Gandhi had written to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan regarding the suicide of a farmer in Wayanad.

Vijayan had responded in a letter that the issue of providing relief to the families of farmers who committed suicide over failure to repay bank loans, needs to be taken up in Parliament.

Gandhi is likely to visit the family of the 53-year-old farmer, Dineesh Kumar, who had ended his life after consuming a poisonous substance on May 23 at Panamaram in the constituency, party sources said.