Rahul to be on two-day whirlwind campaign in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: Congress President Rahul Gandhi, who arrives here on Monday night, will campaign across the state for two days, where he will also cover his constituency -Wayanad - on Wednesday.

Kerala goes to the polls on April 23 to elect 20 Lok Sabha members.

Releasing Gandhi's tour programme, the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee on Friday said he will arrive here on the night of April 15.

The following morning, he travels to Pathanapuram in Kollam district to address a party rally in the constituency where Kodikunnil Suresh, a former Union Minister and sitting member from the Mavelikera Lok Sabha constituency , is seeking re-election.

At 11.30 a.m. on Tuesday, Gandhi is scheduled to reach Pathanamthitta district - where the famed Sabarimala temple is located - to campaign for Anto Antony, who is seeking a hat-trick of victories from the Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha constituency.

At 4 p.m., he will arrive in Alappuzha to campaign for Shanimol Usman, a former Mahila Congress Chairperson, from where he returns to the state capital to solicit votes for party candidate Shashi Tharoor.

Gandhi travels thereafter to Kannur in north Kerala, and the following day he will reache his constituency Wayanad.

His election campaign programme in Kerala concludes with a road show on Wednesday.

Of the total representation from Kerala in the outgoing Lok Sabha, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has 12 seats, while the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) has eight.

According to a few poll surveys, the UDF is expected to increase its tally to as many as 16 seats.