Priyanka Gandhi meets Kharge, to file nomination from Wayanad

New Delhi [India], October 21 (ANI): Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday met party chief Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi to discuss campaign strategies as she prepares to file nomination for the by-elections in Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency. Vadra, along with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, will lead a roadshow from Waynad's Kalpetta New Bus Stand in the morning before filing the nomination on October 23.

After the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the bypoll, Congress declared Gandhi's candidature for the Waynad seat as part of the United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala. Senior Congress leaders will also remain present during Gandhi's nomination filing before the district collector in the afternoon.

After being active in politics for five years, All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Gandhi will make her electoral debut in the Waynad Lok Sabha constituency, where the bypoll is scheduled to be held on November 13. Along with this, the election commission announced by-elections in 47 assembly seats across 15 states.

If Priyanka Gandhi wins from Waynad, she will be the third person from the Gandhi family to enter Parliament. Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had retained the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh and vacated the Wayanad seat, paving the way for his sister to make her electoral debut.

Gandhi is contesting against Navya Haridas, a candidate fielded by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Left Democratic Front's (LDF) candidate Sathyan Mokeri. Haridas is a two-time Kozhikode Corporation Councillor.

Rahul Gandhi had said both Raebareli and Wayanad would get two MPs and had also expressed confidence in Priyanka Gandhi winning from Wayanad. Priyanka Gandhi was responsible for taking care of the Gandhi family's stronghold in Amethi and Raebareli before making a run for active politics, where she emerged as an important strategist for her party.

Meanwhile, Congress appointed Saral Patel as the media coordinator for Wayanad ahead of the by-election with immediate effect. (ANI)