Priyanka Gandhi Set for Electoral Debut from Wayanad as EC Declares Bypoll

New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday announced that its general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra would contest the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll next month, making her electoral debut from the seat in Kerala . She had campaigned for her brother Rahul Gandhi who contested the seat during the general elections, apart from the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency. 

Rahul Gandhi won both the seats but vacated Wayanad. " Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the proposal to nominate Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as party candidate for the Lok Sabha bye-election from Kerala ," the party said in an official release. This will be the electoral debut for Priyanka Gandhi who has been keen to contest elections for sometime. 

Priyanka's Entry Into Politics

Priyanka, now 52, has officially entered the political arena, marking two decades since she was first seen supporting her mother, Sonia Gandhi , and brother, Rahul Gandhi , during the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. Over the years, her political attention has largely remained on Uttar Pradesh, particularly the Congress strongholds of Amethi and Rae Bareli. The Congress also announced Rahul Mamkootathil from Palakkad and Ramya Haridas from Chelakkara assembly constituency for the upcoming bypolls in Kerala .

Bypolls 2024

The Election Commission on Tuesday announced bypolls to the Wayanad as well as 48 assembly constituencies. Bypoll to the Wayanad parliamentary seat and 47 assembly seats will be held on November 13 along with phase one elections for the Jharkhand Assembly. Bypoll to the Nanded Lok Sabha seat and the Kedarnath assembly constituency will be held on November 20 along with Maharashtra assembly polls and phase two of Jharkhand elections.

The 48 assembly constituencies and two Lok Sabha seats where bypolls are being held are spread across 15 states - Uttar Pradesh, Assam , Bihar , Chhattisgarh , Gujarat , Karnataka, Kerala , Uttarakhand, Maharashtra , Madhya Pradesh , Meghalaya , Punjab , West Bengal, Rajasthan and Sikkim