Cong-led UDF to hold protest over Rahul Gandhi's disqualification

THIRUVANATHAPURAM: The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) will organise a protest 'Satyagraha' outside Kerala Raj Bhavan on April 5 against the disqualification of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

UDF MLAs and leaders will participate in the protest declaring solidarity with Rahul Gandhi for his fight against "anti-fascist forces", sources privy to the matter said.

General Secretary of AICC for Kerala, Tariq Anwar, will be leading the protest at 10 am on April 5, they said.

The members will hold protests against the BJP-ruled central government over the Adani issue, they added. Leader of Opposition VD Satheesh, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president and MP K Sudhakaran, UDF leaders PK Kunjhalikutty, PJJoseph, Shibu Baby John, Anoop Jacob and other leaders will also take part in the protest. Rahul was disqualified as a member of the Lok Sabha after a Gujarat Court convicted him in a 2019 defamation case for a remark using the surname 'Modi'.

The court sentenced the Congress leader to 2 year's imprisonment.

The sentence was later suspended for 30 days during which Rahul can appeal against his conviction.

The defamation case against Rahul Gandhi was filed by former BJP MLA Purnesh Modi. After the disqualification of Rahul's membership from the Lok Sabha, the Congress has been vocal in protests all over the country.

The grand old party has been making an effort to rally like-minded Opposition players around it in the wake of Rahul's loss membership of the Lower House.

Rahul's disqualification is the latest in a series of flashpoints between the Congress and the ruling BJP, with a united Opposition calling it a ploy to divert public attention from the Adani issue.

Rahul Gandhi was elected to Lok Sabha in 2019 from Wayanad in Kerala. The party has said that it will challenge the Surat court verdict in a higher court.