Making her electoral debut, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday filed her nomination papers for the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll.
Her mother Sonia Gandhi, brother Rahul Gandhi, husband Robert Vadra and their son Riahan, Congress chief Mallikarjuna Kharge, and AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal accompanied Priyanka to the collectorate.
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KPCC president K Sudhakaran, Muslim League leaders P K Kunhalikkutty, Panakkad Syed Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal, and other UDF leaders were also present at the electorate.
Earlier before filing the nomination for her maiden electoral battle, Priyanka took out a massive road show from Kalpetta town to the Wayanad Collectrorate. The 1.5-kilometer long road show, which began from the New Bus Stand in Kalpetta, saw the participation of most of the prominent Congress leaders, even as the crowd greeted Priyanka with cheers and banners proclaiming “Wayanad ‘s Beloved Priyanka.”
Addressing the enthusiastic gathering, Priyanka promised that if elected, she would become the voice of the people of Wayanad and fight for their rights. She said she will not leave Wayanad and will be with the locals in their joy and sorrow.
“This is my new journey. I have campaigned for 35 years for my father, Rajiv Gandhi, mother Sonia Gandhi, and brother Rahul Gandhi. This is the first time I am campaigning for myself. I thank Kharge and the Congress for this opportunity,” she said.
“A few days ago, I visited Mundakai in Wayanad with my brother. I saw people there who lost everything in landslides. Everyone I saw was working to help each other. They supported each other by giving love without greed. I was deeply touched by the courage of the people of Wayanad in the face of disaster. Being part of the Wayanad family is both an honour and a blessing,” she added
Former Wayanad MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi urged the people to elect his sister in the upcoming bypoll. He added that he would continue to understand the issues of Wayanad and hence, the people of Wayanad will have two representatives in Parliament.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took “Jinnah” dig at the Congress.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah took to X and wrote, “Who would have imagined that Priyanka Vadra, like her brother, would look for a safe seat, in a minority dominated Wayanad, to make her poll debut? Jinnah must be feeling vindicated in his grave, that his Muslim League now has a new destination – the Indian National Congress.”
The Wayanad bypoll, scheduled for November 13, will see Priyanka face off against Navya Haridas of the BJP and Sathyan Mokeri of the CPI. The seat was vacated by Rahul Gandhi, who won from both Wayanad and Rae Bareli in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
