Political row erupts as food kits with images of Congress leaders seized in Wayanad ahead of bypoll

Kits, containing tea dust, sugar, rice, and other grocery items, and carrying pictures of Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, and Karnataka Deputy CM K. Shivakumar, were reportedly seized from a flour mill

A political controversy has erupted in Wayanad ahead of the Lok Sabha byelections after around 30 food kits carrying pictures of Congress leaders were seized by the flying squad of the Election Commission and the police on Thursday (November 7, 2024) at Tholpetty in Wayanad district of Kerala.

The kits, containing tea dust, sugar, rice, and other grocery items, and carrying pictures of Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister K. Shivakumar, were seized from a flour mill located near the residence of a local Congress leader, according to sources.

The ruling Left in Kerala has alleged that the kits were brought for distribution to voters in an attempt to influence them in favour of the Congress in the November 13 bypoll.

The kits are labelled for distribution to landslide victims, sources added.

However, the Congress said that these are the same kits previously brought in for distribution to the survivors of the Wayanad landslide disaster on July 30.

Proceedings are currently under way, said an official source.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi is the UDF candidate for the Wayanad bypolls on November 13, where she will be contesting against the CPI candidate Sathyan Mokeri and the BJP candidate Navya Haridas.

Published - November 07, 2024 04:34 pm IST