Priyanka Gandhi Leads Wayanad Bypoll with Record Margin

Priyanka Gandhi leads the Wayanad bypoll by over 1 lakh votes, cementing Congress’s stronghold. Facing CPI and BJP candidates, her win would mark her as the third Gandhi family member in Parliament, reaffirming Congress’s dominance in the constituency after Rahul Gandhi vacated the seat.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is poised for a historic victory in the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll, leading by over 1 lakh votes after two hours of counting on November 23, 2024. The election saw a three-way contest between Priyanka (Congress), Sathyan Mokeri (Communist Party of India), and Navya Haridas (BJP).

As of 10 a.m., Priyanka had garnered 1,01,743 votes, with Sathyan Mokeri trailing in second place and BJP’s Navya Haridas in third. Wayanad, considered a Congress stronghold, previously elected Rahul Gandhi, who vacated the seat earlier this year after retaining his Rae Bareli constituency in Uttar Pradesh.

The bypoll began with the opening of strong rooms at 7 a.m., and the counting started an hour later. Postal ballots were counted first, with electronic voting machines (EVMs) following.

If victorious, Priyanka will become the third Gandhi family member to enter Parliament, following in the footsteps of her brother Rahul and mother Sonia Gandhi. Her candidature has been seen as a reaffirmation of the Congress's dominance in Wayanad, despite BJP’s assertions that the region needs developmental leadership under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

BJP candidate Navya Haridas expressed optimism earlier in the day, emphasizing that development was a key issue for voters. However, voter turnout was reportedly lower than expected, attributed in part to a recent landslide incident in the region.

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Priyanka's projected win signals the Congress's continued grip on the constituency and strengthens the Gandhi family's political legacy.