The Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala has gained significant prominence. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi previously served as an MP for this seat, and now his sister, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, is running in the by-election for the position that became available following his resignation after winning the Lok Sabha elections. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi are not the types of leaders who, although being outsiders, have attempted or are attempting their fortune from this constituency in Kerala.
In the past, numerous leaders from beyond the state began their careers as MPs in Kerala. This list features GM Banatwala from Maharashtra, Muhammad Ismail from Tamil Nadu, and Ibrahim Suleman Sait from Karnataka. Each of them has served as IUML MPs from Kerala multiple times.
The Wayanad Lok Sabha by-election will take place on November 13. Besides Priyanka Gandhi, several other contenders are participating in this by-election, and many of them are newcomers. Padmarajan, recognized as the “Election King” of Tamil Nadu, is running in the election as well. Padmarajan has participated in over 200 elections and has also been defeated.
The voting for the Wayanad Lok Sabha by-election is scheduled for November 13. Besides Priyanka Gandhi, several other candidates are running in this by-election, and many of them are from outside the region. Padmarajan, referred to as the “Election King” of Tamil Nadu, is running in the election as well. Padmarajan has run in over 200 elections and has experienced defeats as well.
He also competed against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and Manmohan Singh. Jayendra K Rathod hailing from Gujarat is one of the 11 candidates who ran against Home Minister Amit Shah in the Lok Sabha elections.
Additional candidates competing in the Wayanad bypoll from out of the state consist of Gopal Swaroop Gandhi of the Kisan Mazdoor Berojgar Sangh from Uttar Pradesh, Independent A Noor Mohammed from Tamil Nadu, and A Sita from the Bahujan Dravida Party, also from Tamil Nadu.
In addition to these, independent Sonahu Singh Yadav from Uttar Pradesh, Duggirala Nageswara Rao of Jana Sena Party, Sheikh Jaleel of Navrang Congress Party from Andhra Pradesh, independent Ismail Jabi Ullah from Karnataka, Jatiya from Telangana, and another independent Rukmini from Karnataka are also participating in the elections.
CPI’s Satyan Mokeri and BJP’s Navya Haridas are also competing. R Rajan Maidan is running in the election as well. Though the competition is primarily seen as between Congress candidate Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, CPI’s Satyan Mokeri, and BJP’s Navya Haridas, the significant number of candidates running simultaneously is setting a record in electoral history.