Priyanka Gandhi Vadra files nomination for Wayanad parliamentary by-election

Congressgeneral secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday (Oct 23) filed hernomination for the Wayanad parliamentary by-poll in the Indian state ofKerala.

Priyanka, who is making her electoral debut, was accompanied by top leaders of the party,includingCongress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, her husband Robert Vadra, and Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal, among others.She filed her nomination papers atthe district collector's office inKerala's Kalpetta.

#WATCH | Kerala: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra files her nomination for Wayanad parliamentary by-election, in the presence of CPP Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress general secretary KC… pic.twitter.com/ykU6ljJkrm — ANI (@ANI) October 23, 2024

Priyanka's debut speech as candidate

In her debut speech as the Congress candidate from Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, Priyanka said: "This is a new journey for me and you are my guides. For me it's my responsibility too. You are the symbol of trust between my family and you. I have been a mother of two children before entering politics. The one thing I want my children to know is the difficulties I faced. I was there with them whenever they needed me."

"You are also my family, and I want you to know the same. I am there to fight for you and I will fight your battles and will not let you down."

"I thank you from the core of my heart for accepting me as the UDF candidate."

Speaking about her political journey, she said "I campaigned for the first time when I was 17-years-old, for my father in 1989 and since then I have done it for my mother and brother".

"This is the first time she is campaigning for me. It's a very different feeling," she added.

Taking a potshot at the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP), Priyanka said "We live in strange times. We live in a time where those who are in power, will spread hatred, dividing people. We live in times where those who are in power want to remain in power using even criminal means."

"This was not what our nation was built on and the values of the Independence movement led by Gandhi ji is not what is happening now. We learnt Satyamev Jayate and all the religious teachings that centred around our movement of Independence," she added.

LoP Rahul Gandhi says Wayanad will have two MPs

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged the people of Wayanad to vote for his sister Priyanka and said it will bethe only constituency in India that will have two members in the parliament.

He said that while Priyanka would be the official MP from Wayanad, he would be the unofficial MP.

"One is the official member of the Parliament and the other is the unofficial member of the Parliament and both will work together to protect the people of Wayanad," he promised while addressing a public meeting at Kalpetta ahead of the nomination filing.

(With inputs from agencies)