Gandhi family in full attendance in Parliament: Priyanka joins Sonia and Rahul

Gandhi family scion Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was on Thursday sworn in as an MP from Wayanad Lok Sabha seat.

With Priyanka’s entry in the Lok Sabha, there will be three Gandhis now in the Parliament.

While the matriarch Sonia Gandhi is a member of the Rajya Sabha, her son Rahul Gandhi and daughter Priyanka are both members of the Lok Sabha.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra reached Parliament with her mother Sonia Gandhi. Being the chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP), Sonia Gandhi is officially the leader of all Congress MPs, while Rahul Gandhi is the leader of the Congress MPs in the Lok Sabha and also the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

Ever since Sanjay Gandhi entered politics in the 1970s, there have been more than one Gandhi in the Parliament on most occasions. The exception was 6th Lok Sabha when the mother-son duo of Indira Gandhi and Sanjay lost in the polls at the aftermath of the draconian Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi in 1975.

In the last Lok Sabha there were four Gandhis. Besides Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, the mother-son duo of Maneka Gandhi and Varun Gandhi too were members of the Lok Sabha back then. While Maneka lost in the 2024 Lok Sabha general elections , Varun Gandhi was not given ticket by the BJP.

Priyanka Gandhi, who is general secretary of Congress, is yet to be given any post in the party’s parliamentary wing. The Gandhis often face criticism for making politics a family business, Priyanka does enjoy a reputation of being quick on the repartee and is expected make effective intervention on behalf of the Congress in the Lok sabha.

What she would not like to do at any cost is to overshadow her brother Rahul Gandhi. There was clear sign of it today as she took oath clutching a copy of the Constitution. This she did following the footsteps of her brother Rahul Gandhi who is often seen carrying a red-coloured copy of the Indian Constitution during his rallies as part of what he calls is a movement to "protect the Constitution" from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government.

Yet, It will be hard to stop people from comparing Rahul with Priyanka. Congressmen are also desperately looking for a new leader who can effectively challenge Modi.

Priyanka Gandhi won the November 13 Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll with a thumping margin of over four lakh votes. The 52-year-old Congress leader defeated Sathyan Mokeri of the CPI to make her debut in the Parliament.

In the General Elections, Rahul Gandhi had won from both Wayanad and Raebareli. He vacated the Wayanad seat necessitating bypoll to fill up the vacancy paving the way for Priyanka to step in.