Wayanad will have two MPs, one of them will be "unofficial".
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra filed her nomination from Wayanad on Wednesday. When asked if Priyanka would be a better MP for Wayanad than brother Rahul, Mr Gandhi first said, “It is a tough question” and immediately added, “I don't think so.” The duo, along with other Congress party members on a bus chuckled, as seen in a video posted on X (formerly Twitter).
In a minute-long video, Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are seen having a candid conversation about Wayanad, earlier represented by Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha from 2019-2024. The video begins with Priyanka Gandhi asking, “What is this face you are making?”
“I will miss Wayanad, that is the face I am making,” Mr Gandhi added.
When asked who would he choose as the MP of Wayanad, other than himself, he opted for sister Priyanka Gandhi. Explaining his answer, he said, “Not because I like her or I am very fond of her and love her very much. But she will actually do a good job. She has many qualities. She goes into a lot of detail. And she is my sister.”
To this, Priyanka recognised Rahul Gandhi's love for the people of Wayanad and vice versa.
“I hope to be able to continue that bond with them,” she added.
Mr Gandhi went on to praise her sister, who will be contesting the upcoming by-poll in the Lok Sabha seat. “If she likes you, she will do whatever; beyond anything you can imagine. She is also going to like Wayanad a lot. You see, a huge part of being a good MP is that you like the people and place you work for. She is going to like it,” he exclaimed.
In the Lok Sabha polls this year, Rahul Gandhi won both Wayanad and Rae Bareli seats and decided to retain the latter, paving the way for the by-poll.
Seeking support for his sister, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha said, “I think you understand very well the relationship I share with the people of Wayanad. What Wayanad has done for me cannot be expressed in words. When feelings are really deep, the only way to express them is through action.”
“I would like to remind you Wayanad is the only constituency in the country that has two MPs, one is official, the other unofficial, and they will work together to protect the interests of the people of Wayanad,” Mr Gandhi added.