New Delhi: The vote counting has officially started for the Wayanad by-election in Kerala, where Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi is making her electoral debut. She is stepping into the political arena to fill the seat left vacant by her brother, Rahul Gandhi, who opted to focus on Raebareli. Priyanka is up against CPI veteran Sathyan Mokeri and BJP candidate Navya Haridas, among a total of 16 candidates competing in Wayanad.

Rahul Gandhi initially won the Wayanad seat in 2019, which allowed him to maintain a seat in the Lok Sabha despite his loss in Amethi. In the 2024 election, he contested and won both Wayanad and Raebareli, the latter seat having been vacated by his mother, Sonia Gandhi, who transitioned to the Rajya Sabha.

After securing victories in both constituencies, Rahul Gandhi decided to keep the Raebareli seat and passed on Wayanad to his sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. In recent weeks, Rahul and Sonia Gandhi have been actively campaigning to rally support for Priyanka. They set an ambitious goal, aiming for a victory margin exceeding 500,000 votes.

In his efforts to engage local voters, Rahul Gandhi challenged Priyanka to elevate Wayanad as Kerala’s top tourist destination. “Wayanad should be the first place that comes to mind when people think of Kerala. This will boost the local economy and showcase the natural beauty of the region to the world,” he said.

In addition to the Wayanad by-election, vote counting is also underway for bypolls to 48 assembly seats and two parliamentary constituencies across 15 states. Results for the assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand are expected later today.

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