Priyanka To Zero In On Wayanad Electioneering, May Give Jharkhand A Miss

The AICC is aiming for a minimum five lakh victory margin majority for Vadra in Wayand, where Rahul Gandhi won in both 2019 and 2024.

Wayanad:Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s entry into the election campaign marks a historic moment in Wayanad’s electoral landscape. This is the first time Vadra, who has campaigned for Congress candidates, including her mother and brother for over three decades, is campaigning for herself.

On October 23, Vadra along with Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge held a major roadshow in Wayanad before submitting her nomination at the collectorate. She returned to Wayanad on October 28 and stayed for two days. The Congress is finalising Vadra's four-day campaign schedule and leaders aim to take her to every nuke and corner of Wayanad through public meetings and roadshows, with plans to keep her active in the constituency until November 12.

AICC General Secretary Deepa Dasmunsi, overseeing the campaign in Kerala, told ETV Bharat, "There is a possibility that Priyanka Gandhi will stay in Wayanad until the end of the campaign. But the All India Congress Committee (AICC) has to take the final decision in this regard, considering campaign schedules in other parts of the country".

Congress has taken up the challenge to maximise voter outreach in the constituency going to polls on November 13. As AICC General Secretary and Congress star campaigner, Vadra has been scheduled to campaign in Jharkhand, where the first phase of polling is also on November 13, but if she decides to stay back in Wayanad, she may forego Jharkhand’s initial phase. Senior party leader Ramesh Chennithala stated that Vadra would then campaign in Maharashtra after November 12.

The AICC is aiming for a minimum five lakh victory margin majority for Vadra in Wayand, where Rahul Gandhi won in both 2019 and 2024. The Left Front and BJP have pointed out that Gandhi’s majority dropped from 4.32 lakh in 2019 to 3.64 lakh, which they interpret as a warning sign for Congress.

Opposition parties raised questions about MPs not returning to Wayanad after the elections. Rivals raised the slogan "An MP who stands with the voters," criticising Gandhi for not addressing issues like the travel ban at night, the Nanjangud-Nilambur railway line, and amendments to Section 72 of the Forest and Wildlife Act.

Congress leaders suggest that Vadra’s active presence is crucial to counter the “imposed election” accusations and allegations of “family rule.” In defence, they question why K Radhakrishnan, who resigned from Chelakkara and contested in Alathur, does not face similar scrutiny.

With 56% minority voters, of whom 43% are Muslim, the UDF expects strong backing for the Gandhi scion. Congress has historically received support from the 13% Christian voter base, although BJP leaders claim recent issues, like the Waqf land, may sway the community.

The BJP claims it has gained a considerable share of tribal and Dalit votes, previously held by Congress, and intends to replicate this success in this election too. CPI candidate Sathyan Mokeri has contended that there was no “Priyanka wave” in Wayanad and asserted that the constituency's current mood resembled the 2014 election before Gandhi’s entry.

Vadra's election activities across the seven assembly constituencies in Wayanad are coordinated by a dedicated team of party MPs. Gandhi, Kharge, and various Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled states will soon join the campaign.

CPI leaders Binoy Viswam and Annie Raja have kickstarted campaigning for the Left Front, with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan scheduled to hold public meetings and a potential roadshow for Sathyan Mokeri.

Meanwhile, BJP’s campaign, led by state leaders, features Union Ministers and former Union Ministers. BJP State President K Surendran clarified that national leaders traditionally refrain from by-election campaigns. With state leaders unified for this by-election, the BJP has positioned its campaign around the themes of a candidate who “stands with the people” and “development.”