Wayanad bypoll: Congress top guns by her side, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra makes electoral debut, files papers
Marking the entry of yet another member of the Gandhi-Nehru political dynasty in the electoral arena, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the general secretary of Congress, on Wednesday filed her nomination papers from Kerala’s Wayanad to contest for the November 13 bypoll there necessitated by her brother Rahul Gandhi’s decision to resign from the seat and retain the family bastion of Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh.
Congress top brass — including Priyanka’s mother Sonia Gandhi, who is also chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP), brother Rahul Gandhi, also the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and party chief and Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge — were present with Priyanka Gandhi when she filed her papers at the District Collector’s office at Kalpetta in Wayanad. Her husband Robert Vadra and son Rehan were also present.
The nomination filing by the high-profile Congress candidate was preceded by a road show culminating in a meeting. Addressing the meeting, Priyanka said she had been campaigning in elections for 35 years, but this was for the first time when she was seeking support for herself.
“I was 17 when I campaigned for my father (former PM Rajiv Gandhi). Then I campaigned for my mother and brother and many of my colleagues. For 35 years, I have been campaigning in different elections, but this is for the first time that I am campaigning in an election and seeking your support for myself. It is a very different feeling,” she said and thanked Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge for the opportunity to contest the election.
“It will be my honour to represent you if you give me a chance,” Priyanka said. Besides Sonia, Rahul and Kharge, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal and leaders of constituents of Kerala’s Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) were also present at the dais as Priyanka addressed the gathering.
She said she and Rahul had visited Mundakkai and Churalmala in Wayanad in the aftermath of the devastating landslides that claimed over 400 lives and displaced thousands in July.
Will ‘betray’ Wayanad like Rahul: BJP
BJP candidate for Wayanad bypoll Navya Haridas said: “Like Rahul Gandhi, who betrayed people by vacating Wayanad, Priyanka Vadra will also not be there when the people of the area need her.”
Has Rs 7 cr immovable assets, robert Rs 27 cr
- Robert Vadra is much wealthier than his wife Priyanka Gandhi, an affidavit filed by the latter has shown
- The Congress general secretary has declared total immovable assets of over Rs 7 crore. Her husband Robert’s immovable assets are valued at Rs 27.64 crore
- Priyanka declared an income of Rs 46.39 lakh for FY 2023-24. Robert lags with a declared income of Rs 15.09 lakh for the same year
- While Priyanka’s movable assets are valued at Rs 4.2 crore, those of Robert cost nine times more at Rs 37.91 crore
