Priyanka Gandhi’s electoral debut from Kerala’s Wayanad and Rahul Gandhi choosing Raebareli over this seat in southern India comes as a well calculated political manoeuvre. The Congress in Kerala feel that the Gandhi legacy would continue with Priyanka contesting and the people of Wayanad will welcome her with the same fervour as they did to Rahul.
“Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are like the two eyes of Wayanad. They will help the people see a new age of development while keeping the faith and love of the people of the region intact,” said PC Vishnunadh, Secretary, AICC, and the MLA from Kundara in Kerala.
Pointing out how Rahul Gandhi in his speech had called it a “dilemma” to choose between the two seats he won in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, Vishnunadh added that Priyanka Gandhi choosing Wayanad to debut politically will be welcomed by the people with open arms.
“The Gandhi legacy continues, be it Rahul ji or Priyanka ji. People know that the Congress is committed to the seat and the over 3 lakh margin win that was accorded to Rahul ji is proof of that. Like our leader said, Wayanad will have two MPs and people are very happy with the decision,” said Vishnunadh to News18.
Congress party chief Mallikarjun Kharge announced that Rahul Gandhi will relinquish the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat, which he has won twice since he contested in 2019 and retain the Raebareli constituency, which is Gandhi’s stronghold in Uttar Pradesh.
Calling it a tough decision, Rahul Gandhi reacted saying that his connection with Wayanad would continue and he will visit the constituency which he has “an emotional connection with.”
In 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi had contested from UP’s Amethi and Kerala’s Wayanad. In a shocking defeat, he lost the seat to BJP’s Smriti Irani in Amethi, but it was Wayanad, considered a safe seat of the Congress, that came to his rescue. He won by a massive margin of 4,31,770 votes then. Having contested from this seat for the second time this Lok Sabha polls, Gandhi won it by a margin of 3,64,422 votes.
In the recent Parliamentary polls, the Congress found itself in revival mode by winning 99 seats and the INDIA alliance securing 232 seats, of which, a substantial chunk came in from Uttar Pradesh.
Winning Amethi back, the seat that Rahul lost in the 2019 elections against BJP’s Smriti Irani, was a redemption of sorts for the Congress. Congress insiders say that it was a calculated move to ask Rahul to keep Raebareli while fielding Priyanka from Wayanad.
“It is a win win situation. On one hand, we are continuing our work in strengthening the Congress in the Hindi heartland while sending a message that the party is not abandoning Wayanad but giving them a sister-figure in Priyanka who will nurture Wayanad like her political newborn,” said another senior Congress leader from Wayanad.
Choosing Raebareli sends a clear message that the Congress will continue its fight to retain and gain momentum in the Hindi heartland, while Priyanka Gandhi will help build the party’s base in the southern part as well, say analysts.
By keeping the UP seat, the Congress also hopes to strategise and energise the party in time for the 2027 UP Assembly polls, having won just two seats last election.
“The margin would have been higher, but many of the postal ballots of those working abroad or travelling could not be polled. People of Wayanad love the Gandhi family. Priyanka ji will win by a very good margin, I assure you. Not because Wayanad is a safe seat, but because it is a seat of unconditional love for the Congress,” said party spokesperson and Sulthan Bathery MLA IC Balakrishnan to News18.
Political analyst J Prabhash said that while the Wayanad LS bypoll is not going to be a problem for the Congress, particularly with another Gandhi contesting from there, the party would also want to hold firm to its seat in the Hindi heartland. He also pointed out that while the Congress may think of it as a straight win this time, but as time comes, the impact of the Gandhi family may wane as it is as seen on seats like Chikkamagalur or Amethi.
“No seat should be taken for granted by anybody. We saw it in Varanasi this time, but people should never be taken for granted. UP is a stepping stone for the Congress and Rahul Gandhi’s presence is most important than Wayanad at this point of time. Moreover, it is his own sister who will contest,” said Prabhash.
He pointed out that it would need to be seen if Priyanka Gandhi contesting could have a cascading effect on the two assembly seats of Chellakara and Vadakara where a bypoll has been necessitated following the election of their respective MLAs to the Lok Sabha.
“Both are in the North Malabar region and if it helps the Congress, then the ruling LDF will find itself in a tight spot,” explained the analyst.
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