Congress's big message: The significance of Priyanka Gandhi's poll debut

File: Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi

Nearly 25 years ago, during the 1999 Lok Sabha elections, when a reporter asked a young Priyanka Gandhi about her entry into electoral politics, she smiled and said: "You will have to wait a long, long time for that!"

Over the years, Priyanka was repeatedly asked about her long-anticipated electoral plunge and she would always brush it off with a smile.

Now, at 52, the long wait has finally ended with Priyanka taking the quantum leap into electoral politics after holding the general secretary post within the party for over five years.

On Monday, Congress announced that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will make her poll debut from Wayanad in Kerala since her brother Rahul Gandhi has decided to retain the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency.

There was strong speculation that Rahul would choose Rae Bareli over Wayanad due to Congress's historical association with the seat. It was held by his mother Sonia Gandhi for over two decades and has also been represented by both Feroze Gandhi and Indira Gandhi in the past.

However, the decision to field Priyanka Gandhi from Wayanad is as symbolic a choice as it is strategic.

The Gandhi family imprint

The Congress is on an upswing after a better-than-expected performance in the just-concluded elections. The party improved its seat tally from 52 in 2019 to 99 in 2024. Therefore, it was the perfect time for the party to push for the entry of another Gandhi in Parliament.

Earlier this year, Sonia Gandhi opted out of electoral politics and began a new innings as a Rajya Sabha member from Rajasthan.

If Priyanka now manages to win from Wayanad, there will be three members of the Gandhi family in Parliament. This will definitely reinforce the Gandhi family's brand value which has been on a decline for over a decade after a spate of defections and the party's electoral rout.

It will also bolster the confidence of party workers in the Gandhi leadership, which has faced scrutiny from both detractors and internal critics.

Gandhi out, Gandhi in

The Congress's decision to field Priyanka from Wayanad also reflects the party's commitment to the Kerala constituency, which has sent Rahul to Parliament twice.

In 2019, Rahul won the elections from Wayanad by nearly 4.5 lakh votes even as he lost his stronghold Amethi to BJP. In 2024, he defeated his CPI challenger Annie Raja by over 3.6 lakh votes.

Rahul has often described Wayanad as his "second home" and is grateful for the constituency which has given him much love even when the grand old party faced an electoral rout in the north.

Fielding Priyanka from Wayanad allows Congress to effectively counter any potential criticism stemming from Rahul's decision to retain Rae Bareli.

It will also help the party sustain its dominance in Kerala - a state where the party has consistently performed well - and by extension, the South.

Simultaneously, it will also re-affirm the grand old party's loyalty towards Uttar Pradesh - the politically crucial state where Congress has managed to reclaim some of its lost glory.

Tryst with politics

For years, both Congress workers and poll pundits have had much to say about Priyanka Gandhi's foray into electoral politics.

In 2019, there was a strong rumour that Priyanka would challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi. However, Congress opted to go with its old hand Ajay Rai instead.

Then again, in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh elections, there was a buzz that she would play a key role in the Congress's campaign. However, she continued to campaign without projecting herself as a candidate or CM face.

In 2024 too, several sources said that Priyanka Gandhi would be the natural successor to Sonia Gandhi in Rae Bareli and Rahul would against contest from Amethi. However, Congress eventually decided to field KL Sharma from Amethi and Rahul from Rae Bareli.

Now, with the party posting an encouraging performance in the general election, it has finally found the right platform and narrative for Priyanka's long-speculated poll debut.

Political commentator and former Congress leader Sanjay Jha has hailed Priyanka as an “outstanding campaigner”. “Her sharp and prompt rebuttals to Mr Modi’s jibes have worked wonders during the campaign. Her presence has been talismanic,” he told PTI.

Asked if she was nervous as she would be making her electoral debut in Wayanad, she said, "Not at all, I'm not nervous at all."

She added that she won't let the people of Wayanad feel the absence of Rahul Gandhi.