Rahul Gandhi was in Kerala's Wayanad to campaign for sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra
Joining the campaign ahead of Wayanad bypoll, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi challenged "little sister" Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to make Wayanad a top tourist destination. The Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha was in Wayanad's Sultan Bathery to campaign for his sister, who is the Congress's candidate for the key election in Wayanad.
The Lok Sabha constituency was earlier represented in Lok Sabha by Rahul Gandhi. Mr Gandhi won the seat in this general election too, but retained the Rae Bareli seat in Uttar Pradesh and vacated the Kerala constituency. This paved the way for the November 13 bypoll in which Priyanka Gandhi will make her electoral debut. The 52-year-old leader is up against the Left front's Sathyan Mokeri and BJP's Navya Haridas.
"Priyanka Gandhi ji is the MP candidate. She is also my little sister, so I have the right to complain about her to the people of Wayanad. Wayanad owns a huge place in my heart that is beyond politics. I'm there to help everyone here at any time. If I can show its beauty to the rest of the world then I'll happily do it," Mr Gandhi said at a public meeting.
"I would also like to challenge my sister to make Wayanad the best tourist destination. When people think of Kerala, the first destination should be Wayanad. This will benefit the people of Wayanad and its economy, and the world will get to know its beauty," he added.
Mr Gandhi said the people of Wayanad had taught him that love has an important place in politics. "I did not use that word, but the people of Wayanad taught me that the word has a great place in politics," he said, adding that love and affection are the only weapons that can combat hatred and anger.