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Her strength to connect with the masses, a charismatic personality and eloquence, definitely entices the public, compelling them to listen to her at least once! Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, often compared to her late grandmother, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, due to her looks, is ready to begin her active political innings. Ever since Priyanka entered active politics in 2019, she was seen as a potential contender against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi and as a potential successor to Congress veteran Sonia Gandhi in the family stronghold of Rae Bareli. However, she will now enter electoral politics by contesting from Wayanad in Kerala. The Congress has historically performed strongly in Kerala, winning the majority of seats in both the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
After her candidature was announced, Priyanka said, “I’m not nervous at all … I am very happy to be able to represent Wayanad. All I’ll say is that I won’t let them feel his (Rahul’s) absence… I have a good relation with Rae Bareli as I have worked there for 20 years and that relation will never break.” Thus, if Priyanka wins the Lok Sabha by-polls, it would be for the first time that three members of the Gandhi family will be in Parliament. Her mother Sonia Gandhi is a Rajya Sabha member from Rajasthan.
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Priyanka played a crucial role in the recent Lok Sabha elections, fighting tough in Uttar Pradesh with exhaustive rallies, helping INDIA bloc win 233 seats out of 543 with Congress emerging as its largest constituent with 99 seats. The election campaign saw a spirited fight back by the Congress with Priyanka countering constant barbs from Modi and other BJP leaders.
Countering Modi over his “gold and mangalsutra” remarks, an emotionally charged Priyanka reminded the voters that her mother Sonia Gandhi sacrificed her mangalsutra for the country. Her connect with the grassroot politics have helped the Congress improve its tally to six seats in the 2024 general elections.
Welcoming Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s move to contest from Wayanad , Shashi Tharoor , now four- time Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, tweeted on X
न शक रहा ना शंका
लो आ गई प्रियंका !#WelcomeToWayanad@INCIndia pic.twitter.com/B9YFMouOhP— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 18, 2024
However, the BJP took a jibe at Congress, accusing it of indulging in ”dynastic politics” after party leader Rahul Gandhi decided to retain the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat and vacate Wayanad in Kerala for Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to contest the by-elections from the seat.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala said, “With Rahul Gandhi deciding to vacate the Wayanad seat and his sister to contest from there, it has become clear today that the Congress is not a political party but a company of the family.” “Mother (Sonia Gandhi) will be in the Rajya Sabha, son (Rahul Gandhi) in the Lok Sabha from one seat (Rae Bareli) and Priyanka will also be in the Lok Sabha from another (Wayanad) seat. This is a symbol of dynasticism,” he added. The BJP’s reaction came after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that Gandhi will keep the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh and vacate the Wayanad seat in Kerala from where his sister Priyanka will contest. The BJP spokesperson termed Gandhi’s decision to vacate the Wayanad seat as ”betrayal” with the people of the constituency and alleged the decision also makes it clear that Gandhi family’s “political legacy” will remain with its son.
