Vikrant Shekhawat : Nov 08, 2024, 09:57 AM
Wayanad Election 2024: By-elections are going to be held on November 13 for the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala, indicating a turning point in the state's politics. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi is contesting from the Wayanad seat, where she is pitted against CPI's Satyan Mokeri and BJP's Navya Haridas. This by-election is also special because Priyanka Gandhi has replaced her brother Rahul Gandhi, who won the Wayanad seat in the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections with a landslide victory. In such a situation, the question is whether Priyanka Gandhi will be able to break Rahul Gandhi's record of winning in Wayanad?History of Rahul Gandhi's victory in WayanadRahul Gandhi contested from the Wayanad seat in 2019, where he received 65% of the votes and won by a huge margin of 4,31,770 votes. In that election, he secured a total of 706,367 votes, while his nearest rival PP Suneer of CPI got 274,597 votes. Rahul Gandhi contested this seat in 2024 as well and won by 3,64,422 votes with 60% of the votes, although the margin of victory was slightly less than before. Rahul Gandhi's victory figures in both these elections prove the political current of Wayanad, but now the question remains for Priyanka Gandhi whether she will be able to repeat her brother's history or not?Priyanka Gandhi's electoral debutPriyanka Gandhi's entry into the electoral fray from Wayanad is an important step for the Congress. Priyanka Gandhi, who has been active in politics for the last two decades, had not yet contested directly in the national elections. Now her electoral debut from Wayanad is going to be a new chapter for the Congress in political terms. There has been a stir in the politics of the state since Priyanka's nomination. By fielding Priyanka from Wayanad, the Congress has not only tried to strengthen its political hold in South India, but has also played a bet to further strengthen the party's position at the national level.Election bet against Priyanka GandhiPriyanka Gandhi's main challenge is from Satyan Mokeri of CPI, who has tried his best to show his political strength as a candidate of the Left Democratic Front (LDF). Satyan Mokeri's election strategy is based on the local issues of Wayanad and running against the outsider candidate of Congress. He raised the issue that if Priyanka Gandhi wins Wayanad, she will rarely be seen in this area, as it will be an outsider seat for her. This issue of local versus outsider can become a big challenge for the Congress.Apart from this, BJP's Navya Haridas is also trying her luck. Although BJP has come third in Wayanad, Congress is afraid that if BJP's vote bank goes to CPI, it may be difficult for Priyanka Gandhi to break Rahul Gandhi's record.Priyanka Gandhi's political strategyPriyanka Gandhi has taken several steps to make her election campaign in Wayanad successful. Her goal is to win by more than 5 lakh votes here. Priyanka has emphasized on raising local issues and establishing direct communication with voters in her election campaign. She says, "Those who say that I will not come to Wayanad should know that the more I stay here, the more work I will do." This statement of Priyanka Gandhi reflects her electoral loyalty and her commitment to Wayanad.Apart from this, Rahul Gandhi also campaigned in favor of Priyanka Gandhi and said that his sister would prove to be a better MP than him. This statement of Rahul Gandhi works to promote Priyanka's political potential and instills enthusiasm among Congress workers.Will Priyanka Gandhi be able to break Rahul Gandhi's record?The biggest challenge before Priyanka Gandhi is whether she will be able to break the record of her brother Rahul Gandhi's victory. Wayanad seat is considered a safe seat for the Congress, but the Left and BJP are also putting in their full strength. All eyes are on Priyanka's strategy. Can she win by correctly understanding the electoral equations of Wayanad, this question has become important in this by-election.Conclusion: Wayanad by-election may be a tough challenge for Priyanka Gandhi, but she has political experience and strong support from Congress. Congress's prestige is at stake on this seat, and Priyanka Gandhi's political journey is now likely to move in a new direction. At the same time, the candidates of CPI and BJP are also not behind anyone, making the contest interesting and exciting.