Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, a prominent member of India's influential Nehru-Gandhi family, officially entered the political arena on Wednesday by submitting her nomination for a parliamentary election. This move marks the latest chapter in a family history that has significantly shaped Indian politics, having produced three prime ministers.
At 52, Vadra filed her candidacy for the Wayanad seat in the southern state of Kerala, a constituency that will see its votes counted on November 23. This decision follows a vibrant roadshow where thousands of Congress party supporters gathered to show their backing.
Wayanad was previously won by Vadra's brother, Rahul Gandhi, in the national elections earlier this year. However, he had to relinquish the seat as he also secured a victory in a second constituency in northern India, a region historically associated with the Gandhi family. Indian law mandates that candidates can only hold one seat.
Rahul, 54, currently serves as the leader of the opposition in the lower house of Parliament, while their mother, Sonia, is a member of the upper house. Both accompanied Vadra during her visit to Wayanad.
Addressing her supporters before submitting her nomination papers, Vadra expressed her gratitude, saying, "You stood with my brother when the whole world was turning its back against him. It is my honour to represent you if you give me a chance."
Vadra, recognized for her oratory skills, formally joined politics in 2019 as a general secretary in Congress. Despite her active campaigning for her family and the party, she had not previously contested any elections.
Rahul Gandhi, in a social media post, praised his sister, stating, "The people of Wayanad hold a special place in my heart, and I can't imagine a better representative for them than my sister, Priyanka Gandhi." Vadra had earlier pledged in June not to "let the people of Wayanad feel the absence of Rahul Gandhi." This commitment was particularly poignant given the landslides in July that claimed over 200 lives in the Wayanad region due to heavy rains.
The Congress party has attributed its unexpected resurgence in the recent election, where it doubled its seats to nearly 100 in the 545-member lower house, to the Gandhi siblings. This recovery came after the party had hit historic lows since Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed power in 2014.
Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) faced a surprising setback in the election, failing to secure an outright majority and thus relying on regional parties to form a coalition government for a third consecutive term. The BJP has frequently criticized Congress for its reliance on the Gandhi family, accusing it of practicing dynastic politics, a charge that Congress denies.
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