NEW DELHI, April 2 (Xinhua) -- India's main opposition party, the Indian National Congress' (INC) President Rahul Gandhi will be contesting from two parliamentary constituencies, Amethi in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh and Wayanad in the southern state of Kerala, in the upcoming general elections.

Gandhi is currently a lawmaker elected from the Amethi parliamentary constituency. He has represented the constituency thrice since 2004.

Breaking his silence on his decision to contest from Wayanad parliamentary constituency, Gandhi said on Tuesday that there was "strong demand" from three southern states - Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, for him to contest from one of the constituencies in that part of the country.

Gandhi is slated to reach Wayanad on Wednesday and carry out a road show and address his party members at a public rally. On Thursday he is scheduled to file his nomination papers from the parliamentary constituency.

All the 20 parliamentary constituencies in Kerala go to polls on April 23, the third of the seven phases of the ensuing general elections beginning on April 11.

According to INC sources, the party's decision to field Gandhi from the Wayanad parliamentary constituency is a bid to galvanize the party's support base in southern India, and bridge the north-south political divide.

Gandhi is the son of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, grandson of former prime minister Indira Gandhi and great-grandson of the country's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Enditem

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