Priyanka Gandhi enters electoral politics by filing nomination for Lok Sabha by-election

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra officially entered electoral politics for the first time in her career by filing her nomination for the Wayanad Lok Sabha by-election in Kerala today.
Polling is scheduled for November 13.
The Wayanad seat was previously held by her brother, Rahul Gandhi.
Priyanka filed her nomination papers at the Wayanad Collectorate in the presence of Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, party president Mallikarjun Kharge, and All India Congress Committee General Secretary KC Venugopal.
Addressing a large crowd in Kalpetta ahead of the nomination, Priyanka highlighted her 35 years of political experience, which began when she campaigned for her late father, Rajiv Gandhi, in 1989.
Her comments appeared to be a response to her nearest rival candidate, Navya Haridas of BJP, who said she was more experienced in representing people than the Congress leader.
Priyanka’s entry into the by-election sets up a triangular contest with Haridas from the BJP and Sathyan Mokeri from Kerala’s ruling Left Democratic Front.
Rahul Gandhi, who led a roadshow with Priyanka, urged voters to support his sister, saying Wayanad would effectively have “two MPs” working for them—himself as an unofficial representative alongside Priyanka.
Priyanka’s husband, Robert Vadra, and one of their children were also seen along with her in the open-roof vehicle along with other senior party and Indian Union of Muslim League leaders during the roadshow.
Priyanka said she considers it an honour to be chosen to represent the people of Wayanad.
She also said she was deeply touched by the courage shown by people of Wayanad at the time of devastating landslides that had hit the district earlier this year.
The by-election was necessitated after Rahul Gandhi, who won from both Wayanad and Raebareli in the recent national elections, decided to vacate the Wayanad seat.