Priyanka Gandhi Vadra may contest Wayanad by-poll in bid to take Rahul's lost spot

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra may contest the by-polls from Wayanad following her brother Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from Lok Sabha after he was convicted in a criminal defamation case, Congress sources say. The information came the same day Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi travelled to Wayanad for the first time since his disqualification from Parliament. Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from the Lok Sabha in accordance with the Representation of People Act. 

In Wayanad, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra rallied with Congress supporters on Tuesday. Gandhi, who was a member of Parliament from Wayanad after he lost the Amethi seat to Smriti Irani in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Speaking in Kerala's Wayanad on Tuesday, Gandhi said, "They (BJP) can take my house and put me in jail but they can't stop me from representing the people of Wayanad and their issues." 

Rahul Gandhi in former constituency 

"Member of Parliament is a tag. It is a post. So, BJP can take away the tag, the post, the house, and they can even jail me, but they cannot stop me from representing the people of Wayanad. I am surprised that even after so many years, BJP has not understood its opponent. They don't understand that their opponent will not get initimidated. They think I will get scared by sending police to my house or that I will be disturbed if my house is taken away," Rahul Gandhi added. 

Wayanad by-polls 

With Rahul Gandhi no longer representing Wayanad in the Lok Sabha, the Kerala constituency is supposed to go to by-polls. According to rules, a seat needs to go to by-poll if it lies empty for a period of six months. “We have six months' time to hold a by-election after a seat falls vacant. The trial court has given 30 days time for judicial remedy. So, we will wait,” said Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar when he was asked about the Wayanad polls while announcing dates for Karnataka elections.