As Priyanka Gandhi Vadra secured a resounding victory in the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll, focus has now shifted to siblings who have served as members of the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies at the same time.
After winning her debut election, Priyanka Gandhi will now be seen in the Lower House along with her brother and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi. Already, their mother Sonia Gandhi had earlier served in the Lok Sabha and serving currently as a member of the Rajya Sabha. Priyanka contested from Wayanad after it was vacated by Rahul Gandhi, who chose to retain the family's stronghold of Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh.
Against this backdrop, take a look at the siblings who have served as members of the legislative bodies simultaneously:
Siblings in State Assemblies:
Rajendra Narayan Singhdeo and Ratnaprava Devi
Strange but true, a brother-sister royal duo served in Odisha Assembly for a long period of 15 years. The brother had been the Leader of Opposition, a Cabinet Minister and even the Chief Minister of the state for 5 years. During the entire period, the sister was standing stoutly behind him as a member of the legislative assembly. They are Rajendra Narayan Singhdeo, Maharaja of Patna and Ratnaprava Devi, Rajmata of Dhenkanal.
Mulayam Singh and Shiv Pal Singh Yadav
Both of them were members of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly in 1996 on the Samajwadi Party (SP) ticket. Shivpal Yadav won in 2002 while Mulayam Singh Yadav won in bypoll in 2003. Again in 2007 both became members of the UP Legislative Assembly.
Tej Pratap Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav
Tej Pratap Yadav, the eldest sibling, became a part of the political scene in 2015. The 33-year-old was elected to the Bihar Legislative Assembly from Mahua constituency. He was also chosen as Bihar's Environment Minister in 2015.
Second-eldest sibling Tejashwi also joined the Bihar Legislative Assembly in the same year from Raghopur constituency. The 29-year-old was also elected as the state's deputy chief minister for a brief period, from 2015 to 2017.
Sangma Siblings
James Sangma won from Dadenggre (ST) Constituency from NPEP Ticket, where his sibling Conrad Sangam was elected to the same Assembly in 2018 byelection from South Tura (ST) Constituency.
Gali Somashekar Reddy and Gali Karunakara Reddy
Both served as members of Karnataka Assembly in 2008. Both won the elections on the BJP ticket. Somashekar won from Bellary city whereas Karunakara won from Harapanahalli Constituency.
Jarkiholi Brothers
Ramesh, Satish and Balachandra: All three brothers of the Jarkiholi family were elected to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly in 2018. In 2023, Ramesh, Balchandra won the election on the BJP ticket and Lakhan Jarkiholi won on the INC ticket.
Siblings in Lok Sabha:
Jawarhal Nehru and Vijayalaxmi Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru was first elected to Lok Sabha in 1952 from Allahabad district (east) cum Jaunpur district (west) Lok Sabha constituency as congress candidate. And his sister Vijayalaxmi Pandit won from Lucknow district central Lok Sabha constituency in the same year. Jawaharlal Nehru became first Prime minister of Independent India and served from 1947–64.
Madhavrao Schindia and Vasundhara Raje Scindia
In 1989 Lok Sabha elections, Madhava Rao Scindia won Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior Lok Sabha constituency from congress party, whereas his sister Vasundhara Raje won Rajasthan's Jhalawar Lok Sabha constituency as BJP candidate. Both were in the Lok Sabha in 1991, 1996, 1998 and 1999. In 1999 Madhava Rao Scindia contested from the Guna Lok Sabha constituency in Madhya Pradesh.
Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi
In 2004, Rahul Gandhi entered Lok Sabha from Amethi seat, in Uttar Pradesh. In 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi had won from both Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh and Wayanad in Kerala.
If same candidate wins from two seats, they are required to vacate one seat within fourteen days of the result declaration according to the Representation of the People Act, 1951. By-election will be held in the vacated constituency. Rahul Gandhi vacated Wayanad seat from where Priyanka Gandhi Vadra filed her maiden nomination and won the election. Now, she is all set to enter the same house and take part in the debates along with her brother.
