Priyanka Gandhi makes election debut, files nomination for Wayanad byelection

Days after the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress had announced in June itself that Rahul Gandhi will retain the Rae Bareli parliamentary constituency in Uttar Pradesh and vacate the Wayanad seat in Kerala, from where his sister Priyanka Gandhi will make her electoral debut.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday signed her nomination for the Wayanad Lok Sabha byelection in presence of local leaders. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will be present on the occasion of her filing nomination. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi also lead a roadshow from Kalpetta New Bus Stand.

Priyanka Gandhi on Wednesday said that she began taking part in political campaigns in 1989 at the age of 17 years when she canvassed votes for her late father Rajiv Gandhi. Addressing a massive gathering at Kalpetta ahead of filing nominations for the upcoming Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll, she said that in the 35 years since then, she has campaigned for her mother, Sonia Gandhi, her brother Rahul Gandhi and other party colleagues.

On her nomination, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Congress MP Kishori Lal Sharma said, "It is a matter of happiness for us that our leader will debut in Parliament. Like in Amethi and Raebareli, there is enthusiasm among people in Wayanad...Priyanka ji is not new in politics, she has been in active politics...When a big leader goes to a state, it makes an impact..."

With the Election Commission (EC) announcing the bypoll to the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat last week, the stage was set for Priyanka Gandhi's electoral debut from the Kerala constituency that could see her enter Parliament five years after joining active politics. Soon after the EC announced the Wayanad bypoll, the Congress declared that Priyanka Gandhi (52) would be its candidate for the seat in Kerala.

With the Congress fielding the AICC general secretary from Wayanad, party workers had put up posters in the constituency which had "Wayanadinte Priyankari (Wayanad's beloved)" written on it.