Annie Raja, the Communist Party of India (CPI) Lok Sabha candidate from Wayanad, is scheduled to submit her nomination on the same day as Rahul Gandhi, the incumbent Member of Parliament representing the Congress party, files his nomination.

The ruling Left Democratic Front in Kerala includes the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led alliance, with the CPI as one of its partners.

While the CPI and the Congress are allies in the opposition INDIA bloc, they emerge as formidable rivals in Kerala, each fielding their most prominent candidates against one another.

Annie Raja, the wife of CPI General Secretary D Raja, currently serves as the General Secretary of the party's National Federation of Indian Women and is a member of the national executive of CPI. Hailing from Iritty in Kerala's Kannur district, Raja began her political journey by joining the CPI's student wing, the All India Students Federation, and later its youth wing, the All India Youth Federation.

Raja commenced her political career in Kerala's Kannur district, born in Iritty. She initially joined the CPI's student wing, the All India Students Federation, before progressing to its youth wing, the All India Youth Federation.

Raja also held positions as the Kannur district secretary of the CPI's women's wing and later as a member of the CPI state executive committee. She emerged as a prominent figure within her party, vigorously advocating against atrocities towards women.

Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to submit his nomination papers for Wayanad following a rally in Kalpetta town, marking the beginning of his election campaign. Alongside Raja, the Bharatiya Janata Party, the primary rival of the INDIA bloc at the Centre, has nominated its state president, K Surendran, for the crucial constituency.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Rahul Gandhi secured 706,367 votes from Wayanad, clinching a vote share of 64.7 percent. CPI candidate PP Suneer, who finished second, garnered 274,597 votes, claiming a vote share of 25.1 percent.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) secured victory in 19 out of 20 seats. The Congress emerged triumphant in 15 constituencies, while its allies, the Indian Union Muslim League, the Revolutionary Socialist Party, and the Kerala Congress (M), each secured one seat. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) secured victory in one seat in Alappuzha.

Image source: ANI