Rahul Gandhi files nomination from Wayanad

Congress national President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday, April 4, filed his nomination for the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat.

Gandhi, accompanied by his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and senior Congress leaders including K C Venugopal and Mukul Wasnik, submitted the papers before District Collector A R Ajayakumar at the district headquarters in Wayanad.

Heavy security was in place in and around the collectorate ahead of the high profile visit.

Earlier, Rahul, Priyanka and other leaders arrived by a helicopter that landed in a nearby school ground.

Braving the scorching heat, thousands of party workers gathered waving party flags and raising slogans.

Rahul also led a roadshow after completing the nomination process.

Rahul is contesting from the seat in Kerala in addition to his traditional stronghold of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.

He reached Wayanad from Kozhikode where he was staying at a guesthouse after arriving in Kerala on Wednesday.

While leaving the guesthouse in Kozhikode, the Congress chief was greeted by a huge crowd.

He stopped his car and stepped out to greet party workers who had been waiting there for hours.

Three-year-old Zoya, who was among those waiting to get a glimpse of the Gandhi siblings, was greeted by Rahul.

"We were waiting since 8 am. Last night also, we waited so long, but couldn't meet him. We are so happy that we could meet him," Zoya's mother told reporters.