Captain ran away noticing sinking ship: RS Prasad on Rahul contesting from Wayanad

Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday likened Congress president Rahul Gandhi's decision to contest from Kerala's Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency to a captain running away from a sinking ship.

"The captain ran away after noticing the sinking ship. Helpless, unsecured Rahul Gandhi has run away to far South from Amethi. The roots of Congress have shaken", Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

Senior Congress leader AK Antony announced today that Rahul will be contesting from Wayanad parliamentary constituency in Kerala in addition to Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.

Prasad also asserted that the Congress president has specifically chosen the southern seat based on the census of the parliamentary constituency.

"We did some homework to find why did Rahul Gandhi go to Wayanad. The reality of Rahul Gandhi's extraordinary escape from Amethi and landing in Wayanad is evident because of the ethnic profile of Wayanad where 49.4-49.8 per cent are the Hindus and the rest belong to minorities. The seven Assembly constituencies are minority dominated," asserted Prasad.

"On the one hand, they are showcasing themselves as political Hindus and on the other hand, they have gone to a completely minority dominated region of Kerala. His commitment to an inclusive India stands exposed today. Rahul Gandhi's migratory commitment to political Hindus remains exposed today," added Prasad.

Speaking about the treatment meted out to leaders from the South including former Indian Prime Minister Narasimha Rao, Prasad said, "It is an ugly, cruel joke on the proud tradition of South India. This whole comment that Rahul Gandhi is contesting (from Wayanad constituency) to save the South Indian Sanskriti, is a joke. What did Congress do with Narasimha Rao, NT Rama Rao, MG Ramachandran, and others?"

The BJP leader also demanded that the Congress president should also clear his stand on the Sabarimala issue, now that he is contesting from Kerala.

"Since he has gone to safeguard the traditions of Southern India, hence we demand him to clear his stand on the Sabarimala issue," he said.