Kozhikode: As campaigning for Lok Sabha polls draws to a close on Monday, UDF candidate Priyanka Gandhi gave a final push in Wayanad by stating that she will fight harder for the people of the constituency than anyone else. Priyanka, who arrived from Delhi, resorted to a whirlwind tour covering Mananthavady, Kalpetta and Sultan Bathery in Wayanad and later addressed a corner meeting at Naikatty in the evening. Huge crowds, mostly women, gathered at all reception points.
Speaking at Naikatty, Priyanka said BJP was attacking the rights which the UPA govt had granted to the people, including Forest Rights Act, MNREGA scheme and the Right To Education. “Today BJP is attacking these very rights. Across India it is snatching the lands of tribesmen, giving it to big businesspeople and the Forest Rights Act is being diluted. So, you have to fight to retain your rights. My brother stood by you in your fight and I promise to stand with you,” she said.
Priyanka said the politics of BJP is based on division, negativity and added that all its policies are created only to benefit a few businesspeople. “Under its policies families are suffering across India,” she said.
Priyanka said residential areas are included in the ESA zone without a warning. She also touched upon a host of local issues including lack of proper medical facilities in the district, escalating man-animal conflicts, agrarian issues, etc.
Earlier in the day, Priyanka visited the ancient Thirunelly temple where the ashes of her father and former PM Rajiv Gandhi were immersed in 1991 in the Papanashini stream which flowed near the temple. She performed offerings after circumambulating (walk all the way round) the temple. Temple Melsanthi EN Krishnan Namboothiri gave her ‘prasadam’.
In 2019, Rahul Gandhi had also started his Wayanad election campaign with a visit to the temple and had performed rituals in the Papanashini stream, where his father Rajiv Gandhi’s ashes were immersed.
On Monday, the final day of campaigning in the district, Priyanka will be accompanied by her brother Rahul Gandhi and they will conduct roadshows at Sultan Bathery in the morning and organize another at Thiruvambady later in the afternoon.
Courtesy : TOI
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