In a significant political move, the Congress party on Tuesday announced Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as its candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabha bypoll in Wayanad, Kerala. This seat was vacated by Rahul Gandhi earlier this year after he opted to retain Raebareli, a traditional stronghold of the Gandhi family, in Uttar Pradesh. The bypoll in Wayanad is scheduled for November 13, alongside voting for bye-elections in 47 assembly seats across 15 states.
In addition to Priyanka’s candidacy, the Congress has also fielded Rahul Mamkootathil for the Palakkad assembly bypoll and Ramya Haridas for the Chelakkara assembly bypoll, both in Kerala.
The announcement came after the Election Commission declared the schedule for the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll and the Nanded Lok Sabha seat bypoll in Maharashtra. The Wayanad bypoll is seen as a crucial contest for the Congress, especially after Rahul Gandhi won the seat in 2019 but vacated it following his election to the Lok Sabha from Raebareli earlier this year.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had earlier confirmed in June that Priyanka Gandhi would contest from Wayanad, while Rahul Gandhi retained Raebareli. If successful, Priyanka Gandhi will become the third MP from the Gandhi family in the current Parliament, alongside Rahul Gandhi, who serves as the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and Sonia Gandhi, who is a member of the Rajya Sabha.
Expressing confidence in his sister’s victory, Rahul Gandhi said, “Priyanka Gandhi is going to fight the elections, and I am confident that she is going to win. The people of Wayanad can think that they have two members of Parliament — one is my sister, and the other is me. My doors are always open for the people of Wayanad. I love every single person in Wayanad.”
The bypolls in Wayanad are expected to be closely watched, as Priyanka Gandhi’s candidacy could energize the Congress campaign in Kerala. If she wins, it would strengthen the party’s presence in the state and further consolidate the Gandhi family’s influence in national politics.