Shashi Tharoor reacts to Priyanka Gandhi’s Lok Sabha poll debut from Wayanad, says ‘no more doubt...’

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor took to X (Twitter) on Tuesday to congratulate Priyanka Gandhi Vadra after it was announced that she would take the electoral plunge from Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala, a seat which her brother Rahul Gandhi has decided to vacate. 

Sharing a picture of Priyanka Gandhi waving to the crowd, Shashi Tharoor captioned it, “No more doubt, here comes Priyanka.”

Priyanka Gandhi's husband, Robert Vadra, also took to the micro blogging website, posting the same picture on X, with a folded hand and a heart emoji.

Congress has chosen to field Priyanka Gandhi from Wayanad in Kerala. Rahul Gandhi won the Wayanad seat for a second time during the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge announced on Monday that Rahul Gandhi would retain the Rae Bareli seat in Uttar Pradesh. Earlier, reports had speculated that Priyanka Gandhi would make her electoral debut from the family bastion Rae Bareli as Sonia Gandhi moved to the Rajya Sabha.

Rahul Gandhi expressed faith in Priyanka's ability to continue his legacy in Kerala. Priyanka Gandhi's first reaction was, “I will not let the people of Wayanad feel my brother's absence”, clearly indicating the importance that the family attaches to the constituency. She also said, "I am very happy to be able to represent Wayanad. All I'll say is that I won't let them feel his (Rahul's) absence. I will work hard and try my best to make everybody happy and be a good representative." 

Priyanka's political career

Priyanka's political career has been shaped by her position as the general secretary responsible for eastern Uttar Pradesh and, subsequently, the entire state. She kept enhancing the party's local presence even in the face of conflicting polling results in 2019. By December 2023, she had emerged as the Congress' key strategist and star campaigner for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, greatly enhancing the party's triumph, as it won 99 seats instead of 52 in 2019.

Priyanka Gandhi is not new to Wayanad. She was one of the main star campaigners for Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and accompanied her brother to Wayanad several times. She also campaigned extensively for her brother and other candidates of the UDF in Kerala in the recent Lok Sabha 2024 polls.

Priyanka's husband, Robert Vadra, who has also indicated his interest in getting into politics, has offered her his support as she takes on this new challenge. 

If Priyanka wins the by-poll, three members of the Gandhi family will be in Parliament for the first time. Sonia Gandhi currently represents Rajasthan in the Rajya Sabha.