Thiruvananthapuram: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said Congress president Rahul Gandhi's candidature from Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala was not to give any message to south India, but a message for appeasement politics.

Canvassing votes for BJP candidates here at a rally on Thursday night, he wanted to know why Gandhi was not contesting from either Thiruvanathapuram or Pathanamthitta constituencies in the state.

Gandhi has filed his nomination in Wayanad as a second seat in addition to his traditional constituency of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh with the Congress saying it was a message to the
southern states that they are deeply valued and respected.

"Congress naamdhaar says he came to Wayanad to give a message to South India. Could he not give a message from Thiruvananthapuram... the state capital or from Pathanamthitta where he could have given a bigger message. This message is not for south, but a message for appeasement politics," Modi charged.

Thiruvananthapuram and Pathnamthitta, where the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple is located, is witnessing a fierce triangular contest between the ruling CPI(M) headed LDF, opposition Congress led UDF and BJP-NDA candidate.