New Delhi, June 17: Lashing out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's decision to keep Raebareli seat and not Wayanad, Bharatiya Janata party leader Shehzad Poonawala said Rahul Gandhi has deceived the public of Wayanad. He further alleged Gandhi family discriminated between son and daughter by sending Priyanka Gandhi to South India to establish her political journey.

Taking potshots at Congress, Poonawala stated, "It has been proved that Congress is not a party but rather a family-run company. Sonia Gandhi will be the MP from the Rajya Sabha, and Rahul Gandhi will keep the Raebareli seat. They have decided to contest Priyanka Gandhi from Wayanad which means the whole family will be in parliament, which is a notion of familiarization." Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to Contest Wayanad Lok Sabha Bypoll As Rahul Gandhi Retains Raebareli (Watch Videos).

He further said, "In the Lok Sabha elections in 2024, Congress won some seats in Uttar Pradesh with the help of the Samajwadi Party. He kept the Raebareli seat because he knew that the BJP had re-established its hold in UP after the declaration of the results. He was aware of the fact that by-poll results wouldn't occur in their favor. He didn't want to take risks in Uttar Pradesh which is the reason why he sent his 'behna' to Kerala."

Slamming Rahul Gandhi's decision to leave Wayanad seat, the BJP leader said, "He has deceived the public of Wayanad by leaving the seat. Even he didn't tell the Wayanad public about his contest from two seats. The left parties had constantly iterated that he would leave Kerala and the same thing happened." Rahul Gandhi to Keep Raebareli Lok Sabha Seat, Vacate Wayanad, Announces Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge (Watch Video).

Taking criticism further, he alleged Gandhi's family for gender discrimination in the family and asserted, "This decision also emphasizes the discrimination that occurs in Gandhi's family. By keeping Raebareli's seat, it has been clear that the political legacy will continue to operate from the hands of the son. The daughter will have to go to South India to establish her political journey."

BJP Slams Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi will keep his Rae Bareli seat while his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will contest from Wayanad, the party announced on Monday. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that he has an "emotional connection" with both Wayanad and Rae Bareli seats and that leaving Wayanad is a "tough decision."

"I have an emotional connection with both Wayanad and Rae Bareli. And for the last five years, being an MP from Wayanad has been a fantastic experience and enjoyable experience. I thanks people who stood with me, I thank the people of Wayanad who gave me love and affection. They gave me the energy to fight in a very difficult time. So I will never forget that. I want everyone in Wayanad to know that Priyanka is going to fight elections in Wayanad but I will be a frequent visitor to Wayanad and I will be available to the people of Wayanad and the commitments we have made will stand up to them and will to deliver all those commitments. I have an old relationship with Rae Bareli, I am happy that I will get to represent them again but it was a tough decision," Rahul Gandhi said.

He further said that he is confident that her sister Priyanka Gandhi would win the elections from Wayanad. "Priyanka Gandhi is going to fight the elections and I am confident that she is going to win the elections. The people of Wayanad can think that they have two members of the Parliament, one is my sister and the other is me. My doors are always open for the people of Wayanad, I love every single person in Wayanad," he added. Meanwhile, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra vowed that she would not let Wayanad feel Rahul Gandhi's absence.