Following a massive win in Wayanad, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is set to make her Lok Sabha debut. Priyanka, 52, will join her mother Sonia Gandhi and brother Rahul Gandhi as MPs in a rare instance of three members of a family serving together in Parliament.
With a victory margin of more than 4.1 lakh votes, she outperformed her brother Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad. CPI's Sathyan Mokeri was her closest rival, while BJP's Navya Haridas finished in the third spot.
Kerala's Wayanad seat was previously held by Rahul Gandhi. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he contested two seats—Wayanad and Raebareli—and won both. He chose to vacate the Wayanad seat and retain Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh. The party then nominated Priyanka for the bypoll, paving the way for her electoral debut.
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Priyanka said on Saturday that she looks forward to being the voice of the people of Wayanad in Parliament and thanked Rahul Gandhi for "showing her the way and having her back always." Priyanka's many appearances with her brother, sometimes teasing and mostly warm, have added to her reputation as a friendly politician.
With party president Mallikarjun Kharge by her side, Priyanka Gandhi said, "I thank the people of Wayanad for giving me the honour to represent them, for giving me so much love when I was there campaigning, and then voting for me in the manner that they have. It's a testament to the fact that my brother worked hard there, their love for him, and their trust in me."
"I feel it's a great honour, and I will respect it fully... I was just happy getting the love of the people," she told reporters.
Priyanka, who is frequently compared to her grandmother Indira Gandhi due to their similar appearance and speaking style, has been the party's go-to campaigner since her entry into active politics, and even before that, when she campaigned for her mother Sonia and brother Rahul.
As a star campaigner and strategist, Priyanka helped the Congress make impressive gains in some states as well as in the Lok Sabha polls held earlier in the year. Congress won 99 seats in the general election, up from 52 in 2019.
Priyanka’s entry into Parliament comes at a difficult time for the party, which has suffered electoral defeats in Haryana and Maharashtra. Her election comes at a moment when the party desperately needs a boost to move forward.
