TNCC’s Thangkabalu in-charge of Rahul’s Wayanad campaign

The appointment was made shortly after Rahul filed his nomination papers in the company of his sister Priyanka Vadra in Wayanad.

Earlier in the day, TNCC president KS Alagiri, in a statement, announced the appointment made by the high command and said that Thangkabalu had given a rousing reception to Rahul along with the cadre in Kerala this afternoon.

Thangkabalu, the incumbent TNCC chief said, has also organised a meeting of frontline leaders of the party in Wayanad. Curiously, the announcement was made public by Alagiri even before the AICC had issued a formal statement. 

Well placed Congress sources said the former TNCC president had volunteered to work for the party boss hoping to secure a plum post in return in future. “Such appointments are normally made public by the AICC. Even we are surprised by the TNCC making the announcement,” the source said, adding that Thangkabalu was eyeing the post of the general secretary after the  Lok Sabha election gets over.

Thangkabalu, would be camping in Wayanad till the elections get over, sources said.  A senior leader, Thangkabalu has held various positions including that of State general secretary in the party.

Also, he had twice served as the president of the TNCC and was a former Union Minister.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday filed nomination papers for the Lok Sabha elections from Wayanad amid an outpouring of support from thousands on the streets, leading the party to claim it will sweep all 20 seats in Kerala. Thousands of men and women, and even the young, packed the streets of Wayanad as Rahul Gandhi, accompanied by his sister and Congress General Secretary Priyanka, reached the Collector’s office, filed his papers and then held a road show to frenzied slogan shouting by party supporters. In a bid to reach out to the Left, Rahul, also said he wouldn’t say a word against the state’s CPI(M)-led LDF government during his campaign and that he would “absorb all its criticisms with happiness”. Meanwhile, as per Rahul’s affidavit filed by him, his assets rose to over Rs 15.88 crore  from Rs 9.4 crore in five years.