‘At 17, I campaigned for the first time in...’: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who filed nomination for Wayanad bypolls -Watch

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra reached Wayanad on October 23 to file nomination papers for the Lok Sabha bypolls – paving way for another Gandhi family scion to enter the Parliament.

The bypoll for Wayanad seat in Kerala, vacated by Priyanka's brother Rahul Gandhi, is scheduled for November 13.

“When I was 17 years old, I campaigned for the first time for my father (Rajiv Gandhi) in 1989. It's now 35 years, I have campaigned for my mother, my brother and many of my colleagues in different elections. But this is the first time I'm campaigning for myself,” Gandhi said addressing the gathering before filing nomination papers.

Priyanka's father and former Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhi had won Lok Sabha election from Amethi seat consecutively from 1981 to 1989. The seat in Uttar Pradesh, a Congress bastion, is now represented by Koshori Lal Shamar, a close of the Gandhi family.  

Priyanka was accompanied by her mother Sonia Gandhi, brother and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, husband Robert Vadra, and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge while filing her nomination papers. She held a roadshow from Kalpetta to Wayanad with the party leaders before filing nomination. 

“I'm deeply grateful to Congress President Mallikarjun kharge ji for giving me this privilege to be the UDF candidate and to my family for supporting me to be a candidate for Wayanad,” she said. "It's my honour to represent you if you give me a chance."

Recalled Wayanad Landslides

Vadra said she and Rahul Gandhi visited Mundakkai and Churalmala in Wayanad in the aftermath of landslides that claimed over 400 lives and displaced thousands in August this year.

"I saw the devastation with my own eyes. I saw children who lost their families. I met mothers who lost their children. I met people whose entire life was washed away. I was struck by one thing, each and every person I met was engaged in helping each other. They supported each other with courage, without greed and with compassion. To be part of your community is going to be a great privilege for me," Gandhi said.

Rahul Gandhi had won the seat in Kerala, along with Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh in Lok Sabha Elections 2024. Gandhi won the Wayanad seat by a margin of 3,64,422 votes and the Raebareli seat by a margin of 3.9 lakh votes. He then decided to vacate Wayanad and retain Raebareli.