Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s candidacy in the Wayanad constituency has sparked controversy in the political arena, with the BJP accusing the Congress of practicing “dynastic politics.”
Rajeev Chandrasekhar, a former Union Minister and BJP leader, criticized the Congress for deceiving the public and hiding their true intentions. Chandrasekhar expressed his views on social media, stating, “There is a level of shamelessness, and then there is the Congress’ level of shamelessness – continuously fielding members of their dynasty in Wayanad, while shamelessly concealing the fact that Rahul Gandhi was contesting from another constituency.”
He further commented, “This consistent pattern of betrayal is the reason why the Congress has faced its third consecutive defeat under Rahul Gandhi.”
In response to Chandrasekhar’s remarks, senior Congress leader Pawan Khera highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s own actions.
“Did @narendramodi not ‘shamelessly’ hide from the voters of Vadodara that he would also be contesting from Varanasi in 2014?” Khera sarcastically questioned.
The social media interaction was brief after Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge announced that Rahul Gandhi would continue representing the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh and leave his Wayanad seat in Kerala. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is set to enter the electoral arena from Wayanad.
If successful, this would signify Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s inaugural term as a Member of Parliament. It would also be the first instance of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra concurrently serving in Parliament.
The BJP criticized the Congress’s choice to nominate Priyanka Gandhi from Wayanad, denouncing it as a clear display of dynastic politics. BJP representative Shehzad Poonawala remarked, “It demonstrates that the Congress is not a political party but a family enterprise.”
He went on to characterize the decision of the Gandhi scion to vacate the Wayanad seat as a “betrayal” of the voters in the constituency, alleging that it was a strategy to uphold the family’s political heritage. “This reveals who takes precedence between the son and the daughter,” he added.
Poonawala also alleged that Rahul Gandhi opted not to relinquish the Rae Bareli seat to prevent a potential BJP triumph in a subsequent by-election.