All eyes on Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll on November 13: Her political journey in 5 points

The Election Commission of India announced that the bypoll for Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala will be held on November 13.

Updated on: Oct 15, 2024, 18:04:43 IST

By HT News Desk | Edited by Aniruddha Dhar

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The Election Commission of India on Tuesday announced that the bypoll for the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala will take place on November 13. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is set to make her much-anticipated electoral debut from Wayanad, a constituency that became vacant after her brother, Rahul Gandhi, decided to retain the Rae Bareli seat in Uttar Pradesh following his dual victories in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Congress leader and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi with party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. (ANI Photo)

Priyanka Gandhi's entry marks a new chapter for the Congress party in Kerala.

In June, the Congress decided to field Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from Wayanad. The announcement was made after the Congress party’s top leadership met at party president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence in the national capital on June 17.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has been actively involved in politics since 1999, initially campaigning for her mother Sonia Gandhi in Amethi.

Despite her long political presence, she has never contested elections herself.

Rahul Gandhi, her brother, has a deep emotional connection to Wayanad, where he won during the 2019 elections after losing his stronghold in Amethi to BJP's Smriti Irani, making Wayanad a key constituency for the Gandhis.

Here are five key points from Priyanka Gandhi's political journey:

Political debut: Priyanka Gandhi officially entered active politics in January 2019 as the General Secretary of the Indian National Congress (INC) for Eastern Uttar Pradesh.
Campaigning: Before her formal role, she had been involved in managing election campaigns for her mother, Sonia Gandhi, and brother, Rahul Gandhi.
Lok Sabha 2019: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra played a significant role in the 2019 general elections, focusing on reviving the Congress in Uttar Pradesh.
Leadership in UP elections: Priyanka Gandhi actively led Congress's efforts in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, focusing on women empowerment.
Continued influence: Priyanka remains a key figure in Congress’s leadership and strategy, especially in North Indian politics.

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