Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday filed her nomination papers for the upcoming Lok Sabha bypoll in Wayanad, thereby marking her electoral debut.
The election will be held on November 13. Priyanka Gandhi submitted three sets of her nomination papers.
She was accompanied by her husband Robert Vadra and their son as he signed her papers. Her mother, former Congress president and Rajya Sabha member Sonia Gandhi was seated behind her.
There was some confusion as the officials insisted that only five people could accompany the candidate and, hence, after a while, the husband of Priyanka Gandhi and their son came out of the chamber to make way for Congress president Malikarjuna Kharge and party general secretary and Lok Sabha member K.C.Venugopal.
Priyanka Gandhi's brother and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was also present when she filed her nomination papers.
The nomination papers were filed before the Wayanad district collector, Meghasree.
Before filing the nomination, she and Rahul Gandhi held a massive roadshow and then addressed a public rally where a galaxy of state and national Congress leaders was present on the dais.
The bypoll was necessitated after her brother Rahul Gandhi vacated the seat in place of Rae Bareli.
The CPI has fielded veteran former legislator Sathyan Mokeri, who finished a close third during the 2014 general elections in Wayanad while the BJP has brought in young Kozhikode Corporation party Councillor Navya Haridas, a former software engineer who quit her job and plunged into full-time politics.
Rahul Gandhi won the 2019 general elections with a margin of 4.60 lakh from Wayanad which came down to 3.64 lakh in this year’s general elections.
Wayanad constituency is spread across seven Assembly constituencies in three districts -- Wayanad, Malappuram, and Kozhikode.
Of the seven, four are held by the Congress-led UDF, two by the CPI(M) and one was won by the Left-backed Independent legislator P.V. Anvar who has now split up with the ruling Left and floated his own party.
Manipur: Security forces nab eight militants with arms, ammunition
In a series of successful joint operations, Assam Rifles, in coordination with Manipur Police, apprehended eight hardcore militants from different locations of three districts in the violence-hit state, officials said on Wednesday.
Tripura’s unemployment ratio less than national average, says CM Saha
Of the 2,806 candidates, 2437 multi-tasking staff (Group-D) would be posted in 37 departments while 369 pharmacists and laboratory technicians would be posted in the health and other departments, Saha said and termed the day in providing government jobs as historic.
PM Modi presenting NE region as ‘Astalakshmi’: HM Amit Shah
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, considering the huge development and enormous resources of the eight northeastern states, is presenting the region before the country as ‘Astalakshmi’.
BJP set to storm back to power in Delhi after 27 years: Exit polls
A poll of seven exit polls predicted 42-49 seats for the BJP in the Assembly election to end its 27-year jinx, signalling an end of Arvind Kejriwal’s winning streak in Delhi after three back-to-back victories. The final results will be declared on February 8.
India's gold investments surge 60 pc to Rs 1.5 lakh crore in 2024: Report
Gold investments in India saw a significant surge in 2024 with a rise of 60 per cent in value terms to reach $18 billion (approximately Rs 1.5 lakh crore) compared to 2023, according to a report on Wednesday.
Fate of 699 candidates sealed as voting for Delhi polls ends
A total of 1.5 crore eligible Delhi voters sealed the fate of 699 candidates in the Assembly election on Wednesday to pick a new 70-member House with the turnout hovering around 60 per cent till reports last came in at 6 p.m., an official said.
PM Modi condoles demise of eminent philanthropist and spiritual leader Prince Karim Aga Khan
Calling him a visionary who dedicated his entire life to service and spirituality, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday condoled the demise of noted billionaire philanthropist and spiritual leader Prince Karim Aga Khan IV.
57.70 per cent voter turnout recorded in Delhi Assembly polls
Voting to pick a new 70-member Delhi Assembly continued peacefully on Wednesday as the turnout touched 57.70 per cent till 5 p.m. with the ruling AAP eyeing a fourth straight win and the BJP putting up a tough fight to return to power after 1998.