Congress chief Rahul Gandhi arrived on Friday in Wayanad in Kerala to a massive public reception. Gandhi, who won the Wayanad seat by a huge margin in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, began his three-day visit to the state today.

While the Congress suffered a major debacle in the parliamentary election in the rest of the country, it managed to win significant number of seats in Kerala and Punjab.

Gandhi arrived at Kalikavu in Malappuram district in Kerala, part of the Wayanad constituency, after arriving at Kozhikode airport around 2 pm.

He is scheduled to participate in at least 15 public receptions across the constituency, spread over the districts of Wayanad, Malappuram and Kozhikode.

Thousands of party workers and leaders greeted Gandhi at the airport. Supporters were seen waving party flags as Gandhi’s cavalcade traversed the roads of Malappuram.

Upon his arrival in Wayanad, the Congress chief met senior UDF leaders, including Ramesh Chennithala and PK Kunhalikutty.

Gandhi also had tea at a shop in Chokkad of Malappuram district.

Earlier in the day, Gandhi tweeted, “I will be in Wayanad, Kerala, starting this afternoon and till Sunday to meet citizens and Congress party workers. It’s a packed schedule with over 15 public receptions planned over the next three days.”

I will be in Wayanad, Kerala starting this afternoon and till Sunday to meet citizens & Congress Party workers. It’s a packed schedule with over 15 public receptions planned over the next 3 days. pic.twitter.com/1r71RsgI9X

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 7, 2019

This is the first time Gandhi is participating in a public rally Kerala after the party’s drubbing in the general elections.

Wayanad was one of the two seats from where the 48-year-old Gandhi contested – the other being Amethi, the Gandhi family bastion which he lost to BJP’s Smriti Irani.

But Gandhi won from Wayanad by a margin of over 4.31 lakh votes, a state record.

Reports say that Gandhi will be accorded reception at Kalpetta, Kambalkadu, Panamaram, Mananthavadi, Pulpally and Sultan Batheri and will also attend a roadshow in Kozhikode Assembly constituency on 9 June, before leaving for Delhi.