The Congress on Tuesday named Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as its candidate for the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat bypoll, scheduled for November 13. Priyanka, who previously campaigned for her brother Rahul Gandhi in the same constituency during the general elections, steps into the political race two decades after her initial public involvement alongside Sonia Gandhi and Rahul during the 2004 elections.
Rahul Gandhi had won both Wayanad and Rae Bareli in the last general election but later vacated the Wayanad seat. Priyanka, 52, has so far focused her efforts on Uttar Pradesh, particularly Congress strongholds like Amethi and Rae Bareli.
In addition to Priyanka’s candidacy, the Congress announced Rahul Mamkootathil as its nominee for the Palakkad Assembly seat and Ramya Haridas for the Chelakkara Assembly constituency in Thrissur.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) also declared that bypolls to Wayanad and 47 assembly seats across 14 states will be held on November 13. Further, elections in Kedarnath (Uttarakhand) and Nanded (Maharashtra) are scheduled for November 20, with results to be announced on November 23.
