Rahul Gandhi’s roadshow here on Wednesday, April 3, was visibly different from that of 2019 in the constituency when the green flags of ally IUML outnumbered the Congress’s in the crowd. This time, the flags were conspicuous by their absence — even those of the sitting MP’s party. The roadshow held in Kalpetta in Wayanad was attended by all major UDF partners, including key ally Indian Union Muslim League. UDF workers mostly displayed placards of Gandhi’s image and his election symbol — the hand — to add colour to the campaign.
Party workers also carried balloons in various colours instead of flags.
At the height of the election campaign in 2019, senior BJP leader Amit Shah had criticised Gandhi for contesting from the constituency in Kerala, and remarked that during a procession in the area, it was difficult to discern whether it was India or Pakistan, alluding to the presence of IUML’s green flags during the Congress leader’s roadshow, a Congress source said.
The source said that the Congress might have chosen not to display flags during the event this time, out of concern for such potential negative reactions from the BJP.