Will Priyanka Gandhi Contest From Wayanad?

NEW DELHI – There is growing speculation that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra may make her electoral debut as the Congress candidate for the by-election in the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency if Rahul Gandhi vacates the seat.

Rahul Gandhi, who won the Lok Sabha elections by large margins in both the Raebareli and Wayanad constituencies, added to this speculation on June 11 by stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would have lost “by two-three lakh votes” if Priyanka had contested against him in Varanasi, NDTV reported.

During the election campaign, Priyanka focused much of her efforts on Raebareli and Amethi, resulting in significant victories for the Congress in these areas. The Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance surprised many by winning 43 out of Uttar Pradesh’s 80 constituencies, with the Congress increasing its tally to six seats from just one in 2019. In contrast, the BJP’s count dropped from 62 to 33, trailing behind the Samajwadi Party’s 37 seats.

The possibility of Priyanka contesting the by-election in Wayanad depends on Rahul’s decision to vacate the seat, which he won after losing in Amethi in 2019, in favor of Raebareli. Although he remains undecided and has stated that his final decision will please people from both constituencies, sources told NDTV he is likely to choose Raebareli due to its significance in national politics.

Two senior Congress leaders have indicated this possibility. Kishori Lal Sharma, a close aide to the Gandhi family, who orchestrated a surprise defeat for Union Minister Smriti Irani in Amethi, has urged Rahul to retain Raebareli. Meanwhile, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee Chief K. Sudhakaran has hinted that Rahul might relinquish the Wayanad seat.

Congress supporters in Wayanad have displayed banners urging Rahul Gandhi not to leave them and asking him to ensure Priyanka takes care of the constituency if he decides to vacate it. A by-election will be held within six months of Rahul vacating the seat.