Priyanka wins Wayanad with a margin larger than Rahul’s

New Delhi: The bypoll results in the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency have reinstated Congress’s dominance in the critical Kerala seat, opening the door for Priyanka Gandhi to enter Parliament. Her victory, in a seat formerly held by her brother Rahul Gandhi, is expected to influence Congress’s national dynamics and the functioning of its Kerala unit, which faces assembly elections in 2026.
A party insider privy to developments in the state commented, “There is no insecurity from either Rahul Gandhi or Priyanka Gandhi. They are both close to each other. But there could be a power battle between the people who belong to different camps of these Gandhis. Because now she will be inside Parliament, and her giving speeches there is much more impactful than her giving media bites outside. But overall, her presence will boost the narrative and motivation of the Congress.”
According to political observers, Kerala has more Congress MPs than any other state. These MPs may start showing allegiance to Priyanka Gandhi whenever internal decisions demand siding with one of the two Gandhis. Such a scenario is presumed to bring about a silent tussle between the teams aligned with Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi.
A Congress leader in Kerala highlighted, “Priyanka’s campaign centered on inclusive development, social justice, and women’s empowerment, which connected her with diverse communities across Wayanad.
The victory reaffirms the Gandhi family’s influence and also reflects the support of voters who favor the Congress party’s agenda in the region. Throughout her campaign, Priyanka emphasized the need to address environmental concerns, improve education, and provide stronger healthcare and employment opportunities in Wayanad.
Her initiatives, including direct outreach with women and youth, appeared to resonate deeply with voters, contributing to her success in securing this key seat for the Congress party.”
A political analyst based in Kerala remarked, “Winning the election was a foregone conclusion for Congress—or more precisely, Priyanka Gandhi—in the Wayanad constituency. The lookout was for how many votes she was going to win with. There was low voter turnout in the bypolls, but that was because voters who usually support left parties didn’t come out, thinking Congress would win anyway and their votes wouldn’t make a difference.”
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has surpassed her brother Rahul Gandhi’s winning margin in Wayanad, securing victory by over 4.10 lakh votes. This bypoll was held to fill the vacancy left by Rahul Gandhi when he moved to Raebareli.
Rahul Gandhi had previously won the seat by a margin of over 3.65 lakh votes in the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year, down from the 4 lakh-plus margin he achieved in 2019.