The BJP on Saturday announced Navya Haridas as its candidate against Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency. In this high-profile by-election scheduled for November 13, Haridas will face Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Left Front’s CPI candidate Sathyan Mokeri.

BJP state general secretary C Krishna Kumar has been nominated for the Palakkad Assembly seat bypoll, while K Balakrishnan will contest for the Chelakkara Assembly seat. These candidates were announced after the BJP Parliamentary Board meeting in Delhi on Saturday.

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Navya Haridas, a young woman leader of the party, serves as the state general secretary of the BJP Mahila Morcha. She is a two-time councillor in the Kozhikode Corporation and the BJP parliamentary party leader in the corporation. In the 2021 Kerala assembly election, she was the BJP candidate for the Kozhikode South constituency but lost to INL candidate Ahammad Devarkovil.

Speaking about her candidature, Navya Haridas expressed confidence that the BJP can provide tough competition to Priyanka in Wayanad. “The people of Wayanad are aware that Rahul Gandhi, as their MP, failed to address the issues faced by the people here. During his tenure, he neglected critical issues, especially in a region that experienced devastating landslides in July this year. If Priyanka Gandhi is elected to the Lok Sabha, the situation will likely be similar. Starting with this election, Wayanad residents need a representative in the Lok Sabha who can effectively address their issues,” she remarked.

Elections in Wayanad were necessitated after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who was elected from both Wayanad and Raebareli, chose to retain the Raebareli seat.