Priyanka Gandhi, General Secretary of the Indian National Congress, is participating in the by-election for the Wayanad constituency, marking her debut in electoral politics. The by-election is seen as a significant moment for the Gandhi family, which has been involved in Indian politics for nearly three decades, but Priyanka has not contested elections before.
The Congress party is hopeful of securing a victory with a margin of at least 500,000 votes. However, the lower voter turnout in Wayanad has raised concerns within the party. According to Election Commission data, the voter turnout for the by-election, which ended on Wednesday, was 64.72%, the lowest in the history of the constituency since it was established in 2009. The turnout in previous elections has consistently been above 70%, with around 73% in the 2024 general elections, where Rahul Gandhi won by a margin of over 364,000 votes.
Analysts are trying to understand why the turnout was so low despite having a high-profile candidate like Priyanka Gandhi. Some believe that by-elections generally do not result in a change of government, leading to lower voter enthusiasm. Additionally, the Wayanad region has recently been hit by a major natural disaster, causing significant loss of life and property, which could have led to voter apathy.
Others speculate that Rahul Gandhi's decision to vacate the Wayanad seat midway and contest from Raebareli might have disappointed some voters in the region, leading to their decision not to participate in the election.
Despite these factors, Congress leadership remains confident about Priyanka's victory. The competition is mainly from CPI's Satyen Mokeri and BJP's Navya Haridas, but Congress believes neither of them will pose a significant challenge to Priyanka.
Congress claims that opposition voters, realizing their chances of victory are slim, were less motivated to vote, contributing to the lower turnout. In contrast, Congress supporters are expected to turn out in full force to ensure Priyanka's victory with a substantial margin.
Priyanka’s main rival, Navya Haridas, is a 36-year-old mechanical engineer and former councillor in the Kozhikode Municipal Corporation. She has also served as the State General Secretary of the BJP's Women’s Wing in Kerala. On the left side, CPI has fielded Satyen Mokeri, a former lawmaker from the Wayanad constituency and a prominent member of the CPI in Kerala. Mokeri had contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections as well.
With these elections shaping up to be a crucial political event, all eyes are on whether Priyanka Gandhi can secure a strong mandate in Wayanad.
