Wayanad, 13 May (H.S.): Amid the intensifying tussle within the Congress over the selection of Kerala’s next Chief Minister, fresh controversy erupted in Wayanad on Wednesday after posters targeting Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi surfaced near the District Congress Committee (DCC) office.

The posters, written in English and pasted near the Wayanad DCC office in Kalpetta, warned the Gandhi siblings against supporting senior Congress leader K.C. Venugopal for the Chief Minister’s post. The appearance of the posters has triggered sharp political reactions and is being viewed as a sign that factional tensions within the Congress have begun spilling onto the streets.

One of the posters stated that the people of Kerala would “never forgive” Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi if they backed K.C. Venugopal for the top post. Another warned that Wayanad could become “another Amethi” if the Congress leadership ignored public sentiment in Kerala.

“This is not a threatening poster. Kerala will never forgive you for this stupidity,” one of the posters read. Referring to Venugopal’s close association with the Gandhi family, the poster further stated: “K.C. Venugopal may be the person who carries your boxes, but the people of Kerala will not forgive you, RG and PG.”

The posters also carried a direct political warning to Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, asking them to “forget Wayanad” and claiming they would not win from the constituency again if the high command failed to heed the sentiments of party workers and the public.

“Do not come here searching for a safe seat anymore. Kerala will become another Amethi,” another line in the poster said, drawing a comparison with Rahul Gandhi’s 2019 defeat in the Amethi Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh.

Interestingly, the posters did not carry the name of any organisation or individual, adding to the speculation surrounding their origin. Political observers believe the development reflects the deepening group rivalry within the Kerala Congress at a time when the party high command is engaged in hectic consultations over the Chief Ministerial decision.

The controversy comes amid growing reports that K.C. Venugopal’s name is being seriously considered by the Congress leadership for the Chief Minister’s post following the UDF’s emphatic victory in the Kerala Assembly elections.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman