The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) escalated its political campaign against Congress MPs by filing a formal “missing person” complaint against Wayanad Member of Parliament Priyanka Gandhi on Monday. The complaint was submitted to the Wayanad district police chief by Palliyara Mukundan, president of the BJP’s Scheduled Tribe Morcha, alleging that the Congress leader has been “missing” from her constituency for over three months.
This move comes a day after a similar complaint was lodged against another Congress MP and Union Minister, Suresh Gopi, by the Kerala Students’ Union (KSU), the youth wing of the Congress party in Kerala. The KSU complaint, filed by district president Gokul Guruvayoor, accuses Gopi of being inaccessible to his constituents in Thrissur and criticizes his silence over the recent arrest of two Catholic nuns from Kerala in Chhattisgarh.
Mukundan’s complaint against Priyanka Gandhi focuses particularly on her absence during the aftermath of recent landslides in the Chooralmala-Mundakai region of Wayanad, a high-range area prone to natural calamities. He claimed that Gandhi has failed to engage with the tribal communities, which make up a significant portion of the population in the constituency, accusing her of neglecting their issues and failing to provide leadership during critical times.
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“Despite the urgency of the situation, the Congress MP has remained out of touch with the ground realities and the suffering of the marginalized groups,” Mukundan said. “Her prolonged absence raises questions about her commitment to the people of Wayanad.”
On the other hand, the complaint against Suresh Gopi highlights the issue of accessibility and representation. Gokul Guruvayoor said Gopi had not visited his constituency in over three months and remained silent on sensitive matters affecting local communities, including the arrest of two nuns which sparked protests and concerns among the Christian minority.
These complaints underscore the growing political rivalry in Kerala, where both the BJP and Congress are vying to strengthen their foothold ahead of upcoming elections. The BJP’s strategy appears focused on highlighting perceived lapses in leadership and accountability within the Congress, aiming to appeal to disenfranchised voters, especially among tribal and marginalized groups.
The police are currently examining the complaints, and both MPs have yet to respond publicly to the allegations. The unfolding situation is expected to fuel further political debate and media scrutiny in the region.
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