"Indira Gandhi has faced election debacles... Rahul [Gandhi] has also lost... anyone can face election defeats... So, Priyanka Gandhi will lose too," remarked CPI leader Satyan Mokeri immediately after being tasked with challenging Priyanka Gandhi in her debut in electoral politics.
Despite CPI being one of Congress’s closest allies in the INDIA alliance, in Kerala, the two parties stand on opposing sides. And, Mokeri’s statement is clear proof that the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypolls will not be a friendly contest but a full-fledged political battle.
Wayanad is one of two Lok Sabha constituencies where bypolls are scheduled for November. The seat was vacated after Rahul Gandhi chose to retain Rae Bareli following his dual victories in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. To avoid giving the impression that the Gandhi family has abandoned Wayanad—which has consistently favoured the Congress in elections—the party decided to field Priyanka Gandhi. And, the Congress announced its decision to field Priyanka back in June itself.
Compared to that, Mokeri’s candidacy may seem delayed—despite the CPI announcing its candidate just a day after the election was declared. However, Mokeri has deep-rooted ties to Wayanad and a strong understanding of the constituency's key issues.
A veteran leader of the All India Kisan Sabha, Satyan Mokeri is a journalist-turned-politician. Born on October 2, 1953 to freedom fighter and CPI leader P. Kelappan Nair and Kalyani, Mokeri has had a long and distinguished political career. He represented the Nadapuram constituency in the Kerala Assembly from 1987 to 2001 and was honoured with the 'Best Young Parliamentarian' award, named after the late K. Sankaranayanan Thampi.
For over two decades, Mokeri has served as the state general secretary of the All India Kisan Sabha and has been a prominent figure in farmers' struggles. Wayanad faces a range of persistent challenges, including inadequate tertiary healthcare, human-wildlife conflicts, and the economic impact of the night travel ban through the Bandipur Tiger Reserve. Additionally, the victims of the devastating July 30 landslides are expected to voice their concerns during the by-election.
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Mokeri is a leader who has been at the forefront of advocating for Wayanad, particularly on issues related to human-wildlife conflict, and has called for amendments to the Wildlife Protection Act along with an increase in compensation for victims to ₹25 lakh.
This is Mokeri’s second time contesting the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat. Notably, he is CPI's best-performing candidate in the constituency to date. In 2014, he gave a tough fight to M.I. Shanavas, who had won in 2009 by a margin of 1.5 lakh votes, reducing the margin to under 21,000 votes. He also increased CPI's vote share by 7.69 per cent compared to 2009. In the 2024 bypolls, Mokeri's task is to once again offer stiff competition, this time against Priyanka Gandhi.
