Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll: Kharge approves proposal to nominate Priyanka Gandhi as Congress candidate

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the proposal to nominate party leader Priyanka Gandhi as its candidate for the bye-elections to the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency from Kerala.

Bypolls will be held for Wayanad Parliamentary constituency in Kerala on November 13 and the results will be declared on November 23, the Election Commission announced on Tuesday.

The Congress President, Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, has approved the proposal to nominate the following members as party candidates for the bye-elections to the Lok Sabha and Legislative Assembly from Kerala: pic.twitter.com/aWbQzrNq3i
INC Sandesh (@INCSandesh) October 15, 2024

During a press conference, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said the Lok Sabha bypoll in Kerala's Wayanad and assembly bypolls in 47 constituencies across various states will be held on November 13.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had scripted a huge victory in Wayanad during the general elections with a margin of 3.6 lakh votes . Wayanad is due for a bypoll after Gandhi resigned from the seat since he wanted to retain the Raebareli Lok Sabha seat.

Schedule for Bye Elections to 48 ACs and 2 PCs across 15 States.Details in images#Elections2024 #ECI pic.twitter.com/UfStKpkuIdElection Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) October 15, 2024

In 2019, Rahul had won the elections from Wayanad by nearly 4.5 lakh votes even as he lost his stronghold Amethi to BJP.

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.

Later, the Congress announced that party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra would mark her electoral debut from Wayanad during the bypolls.

If Priyanka wins, three members of the Gandhi family will be in the Parliament, including veteran leader Sonia Gandhi, who is now a Rajya Sabha member.

The Election Commission in August had said that the impending bypolls in Kerala’s Wayanad couldn't be held immediately due to the recent landslides, in which more than 230 people lost their lives.