Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has filed her nomination for the Lok Sabha bypolls from the Wayanad constituency. The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday appealed to the people of Wayanad to look after his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as she filed her nomination for the Lok Sabha bypolls from the constituency. Addressing a rally in Wayanad after Priyanka Gandhi filed her nomination, Rahul said that Wayanad is the constituency in the country that has two Members of Parliament.
“Wayanad is the constituency in the country that has two Members of Parliament… One is the official, and the other is the unofficial MP; both will work to protect the interests of the Wayanad.” Rahul Gandhi also lauded her sister for looking after their mother, Sonia Gandhi, following the death of their father. “My mother is sitting here. After my father died, it was my sister who looked after my mother. She was 17 years old when Papa died; my mother lost everything; my sister lost everything, but my sister looked after my mother,” Rahul said.
He added: “When we were young, Priyanka used to dote on her friends and would do anything for them. If she does this for her friends, imagine what she can do for her family.”
“I am confident that my sister is ready to sacrifice everything for her family. Priyanka considers the people of Wayanad as her family. I also need a favour from you. That I request the people of Wayand to look after my sister and protect her. She will put her entire energy into looking after the problems of Wayand,” Rahul Gandhi said. In her speech, Priyanka Gandhi applauded the people of Wayanad saying that they stood with her brother at a time when the whole world was turning its back against him.
“You stood with my brother when the whole world was turning its back against him… You gave him your strength and courage to keep fighting… My whole family will always remain indebted and grateful to you… I know he had to leave you and I promise that I will only strengthen the bond between you and him,” Priyanka Gandhi said.
Wayanad bypoll
The bypoll was necessitated after Rahul Gandhi vacated the constituency and chose Rae Bareilly, the second seat, he won in this year’s Lok Sabha elections. Gandhi had won the Wayanad seat by a margin of 3.6 lakh votes this year, defeating CPI’s Annie Raja. The Congress subsequently fielded Priyanka in the bypoll in Wayanad. Even though Priyanka is facing her debut electoral contest, she has ample experience in elections, having managed her mother Sonia’s Rae Bareilly constituency in the 2014 and 2019 elections. In 2019, she was given the charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh.
