Kuttikkanam (Kerala) : Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday interacted with tea plantation workers in Kuttikkanam, located in Kerala’s Idukki, ahead of the 2026 Kerala Legislative Assembly elections.
During his visit, Gandhi also paid respects at the samadhi of Sree Narayana Guru at Sivagiri Mutt in Varkala. On Friday, he had addressed the centenary commemoration of the historic meeting between Mahatma Gandhi and Sree Narayana Guru at the same venue.
Remembering the social reformer, Gandhi noted that despite lacking wealth or physical strength, Narayana Guru was one of Kerala’s most influential figures. “The British had force but no power. Gandhi ji had no force, but he had the truth, so he had power. Narayana Guru did not have strength or huge amounts of wealth, but he was easily the most powerful man in Kerala. Imagine his power that 100 years later, many from the political class have come to commemorate him today. The clear message from Gandhi ji and Narayana Guru ji is that violence gains nothing—it only leads to loss,” he said.
Gandhi also criticised the use of cinema and media for political propaganda, referencing debates around The Kerala Story 2, and stressed that films and media should unite rather than divide society. Sharing a video of his interaction with students at Marian College on social media, he said cinema and media were increasingly being “weaponised” to vilify communities and create social divisions. Captioning the post, he wrote: “The real Kerala story—compassion, unity, and always standing by one another. Cinema and media should bring people together, not be weaponised to divide society or vilify communities.”
In the video, a student asked Gandhi whether cinema was being used as a political propaganda tool to influence public perception, referencing controversies surrounding films such as The Kerala Story. Gandhi responded, “The Kerala Story’s hall seems to be empty, and nobody’s really watching it. This shows that the majority of people in this country understand Kerala and its traditions and culture.”
He also reflected on his experience as the former Member of Parliament from Wayanad, highlighting the lessons he learned from the people of Kerala.
Kerala is set to hold Assembly elections later this year, where the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) aims to prevent Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his Left Democratic Alliance (LDF) from securing a third consecutive term.