Kalpetta: CPI national executive member and LDF candidate in Wayanad Annie Raja has slammed sitting MP Rahul Gandhi for ignoring the constituency for the past five years.
"What has Rahul Gandhi done for this constituency in the past 5 years? He hasn't raised the name of the constituency even once in the Parliament," Annie Raja told Onmanorama.
"People of Wayanad say that they need someone who can be approached without a translator," she said. "Even if I do a small thing it will be a big deal for the people of Wayanad as Rahul Gandhi has done nothing for this constituency," she said before filing her nomination on Tuesday.
Raja also highlighted the lack of initiatives to address issues like the human-animal conflict and transportation challenges, including the absence of railway connectivity. She emphasized the need for representation that understands local concerns directly.
"An amendment is required in the central law to address the issue of human-animal conflict. This should be addressed in the parliament and not assembly," she said.
"The transport issues faced by the people remain unaddressed. Despite a number of new projects in the Railway sector, there's no initiative to bring a railway line here," she added.
The senior CPI leader aims to connect with all 14 lakh voters in the constituency through grassroots-level campaigns
"I started my campaign on March 1. Our effort is to reach out to all 14 lakh voters through panchayats. No other candidate has done so," Annie Raja said.
When asked whether CPI's alliance with the INDIA bloc would diminish her chances, she said her track record within the LDF and advocacy for women's issues will resonate with voters.
