People of Wayanad will eventually ask me not to come there so often: Priyanka Gandhi

Priyanka Gandhi makes the remark in response to her rival candidates’ comments suggesting she will rarely be seen in Wayanad if she wins the seat

All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate in the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll, said on Tuesday (November 5, 2024) that it will be the people of the hill constituency who will ultimately decide if they want her to stay in Delhi, instead of visiting frequently.

Ms. Vadra made this remark in response to her rival candidates’ comments suggesting that she would rarely be seen in Wayanad if she won the seat.

Recalling the time when her son was in boarding school, she said she had visited him so often that the principal eventually asked her to reduce her visits.

“So, to anyone saying you won’t see me, it will be you — like the principal — who will say, ‘please, enough now, go and stay in Delhi for a while,’” she said while addressing a corner meeting at Kodancheri in the Thiruvambadi Assembly constituency in Kozhikode district.

Ms. Vadra said that for her, each person in Wayanad represents "a duty, a responsibility, a strong bond of love and affection" and expressed hope that they would give her the opportunity to represent them in Parliament.

Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate Sathyan Mokeri had earlier claimed that, like her brother Rahul Gandhi, Ms. Vadra would treat Wayanad as a brief stop, visiting occasionally and not being present consistently.

BJP’s Navya Haridas likened Ms. Vadra’s arrival and roadshow to a “seasonal festival” that only comes once a year.

On the third day of her five-day bypoll campaign, Ms. Vadra reiterated that essential issues, such as unemployment and rising prices, remain unaddressed.

Attacks Centre

She continued to accuse the BJP-led Centre of engaging in "divisive politics".

The Congress leader highlighted local issues, including the lack of a medical college, restrictions on night travel, and human-animal conflicts, and commended her brother Rahul Gandhi for his efforts to resolve these.

She noted that due to his pressure, the government upgraded a hospital in Wayanad to a medical college, though it still lacks essential facilities due to "political reasons".

Ms. Vadra urged residents to exert pressure to resolve these issues and emphasised the importance of maximising the potential of the district by creating employment opportunities.

“We can achieve this by promoting various forms of tourism, such as ecotourism and spiritual tourism,” she said.

Voting in Wayanad bypoll will be held on November 13.

Published - November 05, 2024 03:15 pm IST