Voting Underway in Wayanad: Will Priyanka Gandhi Outshine Rahul's Winning Margin?

Wayan: Voting for Wayan Lok Sabha by-election is underway since at 7 am on Wednesday amid tight security measures, with over 2,500 security personnel deployed and webcasting across 1,354 polling booths to ensure transparency. This bypoll marks Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vra ’s first electoral contest, as she aims to retain Wayan seat previously held by her bror, Rahul Gandhi .

Priyanka’s campaign leaned on Rahul’s legacy and his popularity in constituency, frequently emphasizing “love and affection” Wayan residents h shown him. In recent public appearances, she highlighted her long-standing involvement in politics, which started in 1989 when she campaigned for her far, Rajiv Gandhi. She pledged regular visits to Wayan if elected, “till people tell me t to come so frequently.”

Rahul Gandhi , Leer of Opposition in Lok Sabha, joined Priyanka at campaign events to rally support, urging constituents to back his sister with same enthusiasm y showed him. Rahul vacated Wayan seat after his 2024 re-election from Rae Bareli, which he chose to retain. This bypoll became necessary after he vacated seat earlier this year.

Priyanka’s key opponents include Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate Sathyan Mokeri and National Democratic Alliance ( NDA ) candidate Navya Haridas. Mokeri, who contested in 2014, previously reduced UDF’s victory margin to around 20,000 votes. Both LDF and NDA campaigns questioned Priyanka’s experience and pointed to her bror’s alleged infrequent visits to Wayan following his 2019 win, suggesting she might follow a similar path.

Priyanka responded firmly to her critics, asserting that she is a “fighter” who would vocate for interests of Wayan residents across political platforms. Security has been strengned across seven Assembly segments within Wayan constituency, with special arrangements in areas with a history of unrest. Wayan constituency comprises Mananthavy, Sulthan Bary, and Kalpetta segments in Wayan district, along with Thiruvamby in Kozhikode and Eran, Nilambur, and Wandoor in Malappuram.

bypoll results, to be declared on vember 23, will reveal if Priyanka can surpass Rahul’s historic victory margin of over 3.5 lakh votes from earlier this year. As Wayan voters decide, this election will test her ability to establish a political legacy in Kerala akin to her bror’s.