Lok Sabha polls: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi files nomination, says, 'I treat the people of Wayanad like my family'

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday filed his nomination papers for the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala for the upcoming elections. Rahul was accompanied by his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and a large number of party workers and supporters.

Addressing a public gathering ahead of filing his nomination papers, Rahul Gandhi said that he treats people of Wayanad as he treats his younger sister Priyanka Gandhi.

"It has been an honour for me to be your member of Parliament. I don't treat you and think of you like an electorate. I treat you and think of you the same way I think of my little sister Priyanka. So in the houses of Wayanad, I have sisters, mothers, fathers and brothers. And I thank you from the bottom of my heart for that," Rahul said.

He also said that he was always ready to bring the issues being faced by the people of the constituency to the attention of the nation and the world.

"There is an issue of man-animal conflict, medical college issue. I stand with the people of Wayanad in this fight. We have tried to pressurise the government on the medical college, I have written letters to the CM. But unfortunately, they have not moved forward. I am absolutely convinced that if we have a government in Delhi and when we get a government in Kerala, both of which we will do, we will resolve these issues," the Congress leader said.

"I am not making just a political speech. Regardless of the parties, communities, age, every single person in Wayanad gave me love, affection, respect and treated me as their own," he added.

Earlier, Rahul held a road show through his constituency and interacted with the people. The former Congress president had won from Wayanad in the 2019 Parliament polls with a massive margin of over four lakh votes.

The Communist Party of India (CPI) candidate Annie Raja also filed her nomination for Wayanad against the Congress party's sitting MP Rahul Gandhi.

(With inputs from agencies)