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Rahul Gandhi’s election bid in the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency will unfold without the accompaniment of flags, as stated by KPCC’s acting chief MM Hassan. During a Saturday briefing, he announced that the campaign would forgo the use of Congress or allied banners within the highland constituency.

Despite inquisitive prodding, Hassan withheld a detailed explanation for the choice. In addressing the media, the UDF convener merely noted the absence of flags, asserting that only party emblems will make an appearance in the campaign.

Gandhi’s itinerary includes participation in various party engagements in Wayanad on April 15 and 16, as per a KPCC dispatch. He will also venture to constituencies such as Kannur, Thrissur, and Thiruvananthapuram to engage in public addresses and rallies.

The unusual decision to eschew the traditional use of Congress and IUML flags during Gandhi’s recent roadshow in Wayanad provided fodder for criticism from both the BJP and CPI(M). The latter accused Congress of fearing BJP, while the former suggested Gandhi’s embarrassment regarding the IUML’s backing. Congress retorted that the two opposing parties have grown too close for comfort and dismissed their criticism.

In stark contrast to the 2019 rally, where IUML’s green flags overshadowed Congress’s in prominence, Gandhi’s April 3 roadshow exhibited neither party’s standard.