Wayanad, (Kerala), November 23: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra looks set for a massive victory in the Lok Saha by-poll for the Wayanad constituency. Priyanka Gandhi's victory by a margin of over 4 lakh votes
The Wayanad constituency comprises seven assembly seats of Mananthavady (ST), Sulthan Bathery (ST), and Kalpetta in Wayanad district; Thiruvambady in Kozhikode district; and Eranad, Nilambur, and Wandoor in Malappuram district. The voter turnout was recorded at 64.72 percent, a significant drop from the 72.92 percent in the 2024 general election, and the 80.33 percent turnout in 2019 when Rahul Gandhi first contested the seat.
The Wayanad by poll gained national attention due to Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's electoral debut. Priyanka is contesting against CPI(M) veteran Sathyan Mokeri and the BJP's Navya Haridas.
The hill district is considered a Congress stronghold, but Mokeri reduced the grand old party's victory margin to 20,000 votes when he contested the seat in 2014.
Mokeri accused the Congress party of not addressing Wayanad's key concerns and instead focusing on the Gandhi family's lineage.
The BJP candidate Navya Haridas is a two-time councilor in the Kozhikode Corporation and the Mahila Morcha State General Secretary in the BJP. In an interview, Navya accused Rahul Gandhi of betraying the people of Wayand, and the Congress of trying to perpetuate its family dominance in the constituency.
Priyanka Gandhi has promised to address farmers' issues and focus on developing tourism in the hill district. The Congress general secretary is hoping to succeed her brother Rahul Gandhi, who won the seat in the 2024 general elections by a margin of over 3.6 lakh votes but later vacated it to retain the Rae Bareli constituency in Uttar Pradesh. Congress leaders have set a target of securing Priyanka Gandhi's victory by a margin of over 4 lakh votes.
