Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has officially filed her nomination for the Lok Sabha bypolls in Wayanad. During a rally following her nomination, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, urged the people of Wayanad to take care of his sister.
“Wayanad is unique in that it has two Members of Parliament,” he stated. “One is the official MP, and the other is the unofficial MP; both are dedicated to serving Wayanad’s interests.”
Rahul praised Priyanka for her dedication to their family, recalling how she supported their mother, Sonia Gandhi, after their father’s passing. “My mother is here. After my father died, Priyanka, just 17 at the time, took care of her. She lost so much, yet she was there for our mother,” he said.
He added, “Priyanka has always been there for her friends. If she cares for them so deeply, imagine what she will do for her family. I know she is ready to sacrifice everything for those she loves. Priyanka sees the people of Wayanad as family. So, I ask you to protect her. She will dedicate herself fully to addressing Wayanad’s issues.”
In her speech, Priyanka expressed gratitude to the people of Wayanad for their unwavering support for her brother during challenging times. “You stood by my brother when the whole world turned away from him. Your strength gave him courage to continue fighting. My family will always be thankful to you, and I promise to strengthen the bond between you and him,” she said.
The bypoll was called after Rahul vacated Wayanad, opting to retain his seat in Rae Bareli, which he also won in this year’s elections by a margin of 360,000 votes against CPI’s Annie Raja. The Congress party has now fielded Priyanka for the Wayanad bypoll.
Although this is Priyanka’s first electoral contest, she brings significant experience, having managed Sonia’s campaigns in Rae Bareli during the 2014 and 2019 elections. In 2019, she was also given charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh.
