Kozhikode: Congress president and MP elect from Wayanad Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to return to his lone constituency in Kerala on June 7. This would be the first public appearance of the leader, ever since the party's huge defeat in the Lok Sabha election and himself losing the Amethi seat to BJP leader Smriti Irani. Congress had announced its decision not to send representatives for any news channel debates for a month after the election debate.
On June 1, all the MP elects have been asked to meet in New Delhi for a parliamentary committee meeting and decisions on next level of activities will be taken after that, said KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran.
Meanwhile, a leadership committee meeting of the senior leaders from the United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala have been called on June 1 at Kondotty. Congress and IUML leaders are expected to attend the meeting in Kondotty, said Wayanad DCC president IC Balakrishnan. The party is planning to open office of the MP in Mukkom in Kozhikode district and Kalpetta in Wayanad district, as the constituency is spanning over three districts, which also includes Malappuram.
On Gandhi's visit, sources inside the party said that he is expected to arrive at Calicut international airport, Karipur on June 7 and move to three Assembly constituencies in Malappuram - Nilambur, Eranad and Wandoor, and move to Thiruvambady in Kozhikode district. He will reach Kalpetta on Friday night for stay and visit the constituencies in Wayanad, before boarding his flight from Kannur airport on June 8. The new MP is expected to take part in road shows in all the seven Assembly constituencies.
Gandhi's candidature in Wayanad is considered to be a major boost for the victory of the UDF in Kerala, that won 19 out of the 20 seats here. So, keeping his operations here alive would be a strategic move to prepare for the local body elections as well as the Assembly elections, the leaders feel.