Congress president Rahul Gandhi embarked on a three-day thanksgiving trip in his new turf Wayanad on Friday, his first public appearance after the recent Lok Sabha election rout of the party.

Gandhi, who was a three-time Member of Parliament from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, contested from two seats in the recent general elections. He lost to Smriti Irani in Amethi, but won Wayanad by a margin of over 400,000 votes.

Braving heavy rains, party workers raised slogans in the streets to greet their newly-elected Member of Parliament. Some carried banners with the words: “You are only hope for the party and the country.”

He was received by state Congress president Mullapally Ramachandran, leader of opposition Ramesh Chennithala and top leaders from the Indian Union Muslim League.

His first road show was at Kallikavu, which forms part of the Wandoor Assembly segment in Malappuram district, where the rains drenched the people waiting for him.

“I am really indebted to you. You made me proud and I will keep your confidence intact,” he told the cheering crowd. Arriving in a convoy of 100 vehicles, Gandhi, accompanied by senior party leaders, was in an open vehicle despite heavy rain. Road shows in each of the seven Assembly constituencies of the hilly region have been planned.He will also inaugurate two offices of the MP in the constituency. “I will fight inside and outside the parliament for you. You are my prime concern now,” he said. At Nilambur, he halted for tea and posed with the roadside tea stall owner and the workers for a selfie.

Gandhi’s contest from the tri-junction constituency — it shares borders with Tamil Nadu and Karnataka — gave the party, which is part of the United Democratic Front alliance in Kerala, a major leg up in the state sweeping 19 out of 20 seats.

A senior party leader, who did not want to be identified said, the Wayanad trip will energise Gandhi. “Uncertainty at the helm is really affecting the party rank and file. We hope he will take enough steam from his new turf and surge ahead. After his Wayanad trip we want him to travel to width and breadth of the country,” he said.

The picturesque constituency perched on the Western Ghats mountain ranges is basking in the new-found glory. Though it is a tourist spot, it is one of the most backward districts of the state. Most of the educated youngsters move either to neighbouring Karnataka or Tamil Nadu for jobs and uneducated ones flock to the middle-east for blue-collar jobs.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also scheduled to visit the Sri Krishna temple in Guruvayoor on Saturday, following which he will address a public rally.

(With inputs from agencies)

First Published: Jun 07, 2019 23:55 IST