Wayanad: With hours left for Priyanka Gandhi and her brother Rahul Gandhi to arrive in Wayanad, from where the former is fighting her debut election, the Congress party top brass is preparing to give the duo a huge welcome.
Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency goes to the polls on November 13 and Priyanka Gandhi will be filing her nomination on Wednesday morning.
The Congress party has put up numerous billboards and banners welcoming Priyanka Gandhi in most places.
Leading from the front, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, who vacated the seat to hold on to the family constituency Raebareli, took to his social media account on Tuesday just before the duo started for Mysore, from where they will drive down to Wayanad.
LoP Gandhi posted, “The people of Wayanad hold a special place in my heart, and I can’t imagine a better representative for them than my sister. I’m confident she will be a passionate champion of Wayanad’s needs and a powerful voice in Parliament.
“Join us tomorrow, October 23, as she files her nomination for the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency. Together, let’s ensure Wayanad continues to be represented with love.”
Congress MP Rajmohan Unnithan who is leading the election campaign at the Kalpetta Assembly constituency that forms part of the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, told IANS that due to security reasons, the two leaders will touch down at Mysore and reach Sulthan Bathery where they will spend the night.
“There are security issues so the arrangements are such that they will arrive from Mysore at night. However, all state Congress leaders are waiting to give a fitting reception to our leaders,” said Unnithan.
Meanwhile, former Congress President Sonia Gandhi will arrive in Wayanad just in time to accompany Priyanka for nomination filing at the Wayanad Collectorate.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu besides former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot will take part in a massive road show which will end at the gate of the Collectorate.
The CPI has fielded veteran former legislator Sathyan Mokeri who finished a close third during the 2014 General Elections in Wayanad while the BJP has brought in young Kozhikode Corporation Councilor Navya Haridas, a former software engineer who quit her job and plunged into full-time politics.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi had won the 2019 General Elections with a margin of 4.60 lakh votes from Wayanad which came down to 3.64 lakh in this year’s Lok Sabha polls.
The state Congress party has targeted a victory margin of five lakh votes for Priyanka Gandhi.
–IANS