Priyanka Gandhi Vadra sworn in as Wayanad MP

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was sworn in as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wayanad on Thursday, following her victory in the recent bypoll. She took the oath wearing a traditional Kerala kasavu saree and holding a red-bound copy of the Constitution, a gesture that has been increasingly visible among members of the opposition in the current parliamentary session. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra secured over 6.22 lakh votes in the bypoll, with a winning margin of over 4.1 lakh votes. Her brother, Rahul Gandhi, had vacated the Wayanad seat after winning the Raebareli seat in Uttar Pradesh, triggering the bypoll.

Priyanka’s victory in the Wayanad bypoll brings the Nehru-Gandhi family’s representation in Parliament to three members. Her mother, Sonia Gandhi, is a Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan, and her brother, Rahul Gandhi, represents Raebareli in the Lok Sabha. This marks the first time that all three members of the Gandhi family are serving in Parliament simultaneously. Following the swearing-in, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expressed her happiness, and was greeted by chants of "Bharat Jodo" from her supporters. She was accompanied by her family, including her mother Sonia Gandhi and brother Rahul Gandhi.

Her entry into Parliament follows years of campaigning for her family members, including helping her mother in Rae Bareli and her brother in Amethi during previous elections. While Priyanka’s Wayanad victory was significant, her margin of victory was slightly lower than Rahul Gandhi’s 2019 margin of 4.3 lakh votes. During the campaign, she focused on local issues such as development, tourism, and the economy. Rahul Gandhi, who had held the Wayanad seat previously, had encouraged his sister to focus on boosting tourism in the region, making it a key part of her campaign.

The bypoll in Wayanad was necessitated by Rahul Gandhi’s decision to vacate the seat after winning both Wayanad and Raebareli in the 2024 general elections. Priyanka’s win comes at a time when the Congress party is aiming to regain its footing as a viable opposition to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Congress has been focusing on revitalizing its presence in southern India, where it has historically maintained a strong base.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s formal entry into the Lok Sabha follows her appointment as General Secretary of Congress for Uttar Pradesh in 2019, a position in which she campaigned for the party in the state. However, despite her active campaigning, the party faced setbacks in the state elections. Her election to the Lok Sabha from Wayanad, alongside her increasing prominence within Congress, reflects her growing role within the party’s efforts to strengthen its position both nationally and in key regional constituencies.