He won the election from Wayanad by a margin of over four lakh votes but lost Amethi to Smriti Irani of the BJP.Interestingly, this time, the fight in the Wayanad constituency is between two partners in the INDIA formation constituted to take on the BJP at the national level, generating interest among the political class.Gandhi’s main rival in the constituency in the upcoming polls is Annie Raja of the CPI, who is also a prominent woman face of the Left in New Delhi.The BJP-led NDA has not announced its candidate yet.The constituency boasts of a diverse demographic profile, featuring a substantial population of tribal communities, notably the indigenous Paniya, Kurichiya, and Kuruma tribes.Its economic backbone is supported by key industries such as agriculture, tea and coffee plantations, and tourism.One of the main issues that the parties are discussing in the Wayanad region are the increasing incidents of human-animal conflicts.Other issues, including the notification of Citizenship Amendment Act, defections from the Congress to the BJP, and allegations against the CPI(M)-led LDF government, are also expected to be widely discussed by the voters of the constituency before casting their votes.
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