Wayanad Bypoll 2024: 'What If Priyanka Gandhi Follows Rahul's Footsteps,' LDF Candidate Questions UDF's Motive

Rahul Gandhi had won both Rae Bareli and Wayanad but chose to retain the former, a move that left Wayanad necessitated a bypoll in the seat.

Wayanad Bypolls 2024: Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate and senior CPI leader Sathyan Mokeri took a direct jab at Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, questioning her commitment to the Wayanad constituency ahead of the upcoming by-election. Mokeri, a veteran leader with three terms as a legislator, voiced doubts about Priyanka’s availability in Wayanad, drawing parallels with her brother, Rahul Gandhi’s tenure.

"What's the guarantee Priyanka will be available here? Moreover, what's the reason why these people were running away from their areas," Mokeri said, as per a report on IANS, referring to Rahul Gandhi’s decision to vacate the Wayanad seat after the 2024 general elections. Rahul Gandhi had won both Rae Bareli and Wayanad but chose to retain the former, a move that left Wayanad vacant. Mokeri criticised the former Congress leader for his limited presence in the constituency during his tenure.

Rahul Gandhi won Wayanad with a significant margin in 2019, but Mokeri pointed out that the margin decreased in 2024. "The role of a Lok Sabha member is to be available for the people, and we saw how that played out under Rahul Gandhi's tenure," he remarked.

Mokeri, who hails from Kozhikode and represented the Nadapuram Assembly constituency from 1987 to 2015, has a history in Wayanad politics. He contested the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in 2014, narrowly losing to Congress candidate M.I. Shahnawaz. His soft-spoken demeanor and strong political background make him a formidable candidate in the upcoming by-election.

The comment comes in the wake of Priyanka Gandhi's decision to file her nominations on October 23. 

Meanwhile, BJP state president K. Surendran, who finished third in the 2024 Wayanad elections, declared that the upcoming poll would be a "game changer." As the by-election nears, the political contest in Wayanad is set to intensify, with all eyes on the showdown between Priyanka Gandhi and the seasoned Sathyan Mokeri.