Any guarantee Priyanka Gandhi will stay back in Wayanad if she wins, asks LDF's Mokeri

Wayanad (Kerala): LDF candidate for the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll, Sathyan Mokeri, on Saturday launched his election campaign by targeting his UDF opponent -- Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, questioning whether she would be present in the constituency on winning from here.

Senior CPI leader Mokeri, whose candidature was announced two days ago by his party, had contested the Lok Sabha polls from Wayanad in 2014, significantly reducing the then Congress candidate M I Shanavas's winning margin to around 20,000 votes.

Amidst his poll campaign in Wayanad, Mokeri questioned what surety was there that Priyanka would remain in the hill district after her win.

"Look at the stand taken by Rahul Gandhi. He won and then left. How many days was he here? Those who come to contest like this and then leave, cannot address the developmental and other problems faced by the people of the constituency," he said.

Mokeri also said that there is no answer from the Congress-led UDF as to why they are contesting elections here where democratic and Left forces are strong and the fascist groups are weak.

The Congress has fielded Priyanka from Wayanad and she is yet to launch the poll campaign of her electoral debut.

Mokeri, a former MLA from the Nadapuram constituency in Kozhikode district, is known for his work addressing issues in the agricultural sector.

A by-election for Wayanad LS seat became necessary after Rahul, who won the Lok Sabha polls from here and Rae Bareli constituency, decided to vacate it.

The Election Commission has decided to hold a by-election for Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency on November 13.