Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi on Wednesday marked her debut in electoral politics as she filed nomination papers for the Wayanad bypolls in Kerala. She was accorded a rousing reception by thousands of people, including UDF workers and leaders, as she arrived at the hill state on Tuesday evening.
The Wayanad by-polls were necessitated after Rahul Gandhi, who was the Wayanad MP, decided to vacate the seat to retain Rae Bareli. Priyanka would be contesting against LDF's Sathyan Mokeri and BJP's Navya Haridas.
Priyanka arrived in the hill district on Tuesday night along with her mother and Congress Parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.
The Congress general secretary, who is staying at a resort in Wayanad, officially signed her nomination papers in the presence of local leaders.
Priyanka then took out a roadshow from the new bus stand at Kalpetta. In the open-roof vehicle, she was accompanied by Rahul Gandhi, her husband Robert Vadra and one of their children. Besides her family, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Chhattisgarh former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel were present. Amethi MP Kishori Lal Sharma was also present with them in the vehicle.
Priyanka was also seen sharing a light moment with a child who joined the roadshow. The girl who was sporting a headband in support of the UDF accompanied Priyanka for some time in the vehicle.
Hundreds of UDF workers and supporters as well as members of the general public of all age groups cheered for Priyanka, the second person from the Gandhi family to contest in Wayanad. Balloons in the party colours of the Congress and its ally Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) also lined both sides of the road.