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.
Tripura LoP urges CM to reinstall statue of communist leader & relocate Lord Ram’s idol
Tripura Leader of the Opposition (LoP), Jitendra Chaudhury on Sunday urged Chief Minister Manik Saha to re-establish the statue of the leading communist leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Baidyanath Majumder at its original place in Kailashahar after replacing an idol of Lord Ram.
With DoNER ministry's aid, cultural hub to be set up in Tripura: CM Saha
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said that a cultural hub would be built in the state with the financial assistance of the Union Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Ministry, and Rs 32.5 crore has been allocated for it.
Chief Minister reviews development projects in Dhalai District
Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha chaired a comprehensive review meeting today at the Manu Government Dak Bungalow to assess the progress of various development initiatives underway in Dhalai district.
Ex-MLA writes to Mayor; Urges to arrange rehabilitation of evicted vendors in Agartala
Former MLA of Tripura, Tapas Dey on Sunday wrote a letter to the Mayor of Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) Dipak Majumder urging him to arrange for proper rehabilitation of evicted vendors in Agartala city.
Court sends seven Bangladeshi nationals to 12days Judicial Custody
Belonia District and Session judge court sent 7 Bangladeshi nationals to 12 days of Judicial Custody after they were arrested for illegally entering Tripura by crossing the international border on Saturday late night in Belonia under South District.
Communal violence perpetrators in Murshidabad mainly outsiders, says Trinamool MP
After the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) were deployed in the district on Saturday night -- with a concentration on the nine most troubled pockets -- the members of the families affected by the violence have started coming out and narrating their horrific experiences during the last few days.
Murshidabad violence: Hindus fleeing in boats, take shelter in school; Suvendu Adhikari posts videos
Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, in a post on his X handle, said that more than 400 Hindus have been forced to flee from Dhulian, Murshidabad, cross a river and take shelter in school.
Experts stress need for sustained talks between India, B’desh to reinforce mutual trust
Amid emerging regional challenges and controversial remarks from Bangladesh's interim government leadership and others, experts on South Asian affairs have emphasised the need for continued dialogue and cooperation between India and the neighbouring country to strengthen mutual trust and ensure long-term regional stability.