It was not just the voters of Wayanad who showed up at Kalpetta on Wednesday for Priyanka Gandhi's road show ahead of filing nominations for the Lok Sabha bypoll. Congress supporters from across Kerala flocked to the district headquarters to join the rally.
Priyanka's roadshow attracted women from all walks of life in large numbers. From the Transgender Congress workers from faraway Thrissur and Ernakulam to Mahila Congress workers of all ages from several districts, ordinary Congress women thronged the streets of Kalpetta.
Survivors of the Wayanad landslide also arrived from the government shelters in the hope of sharing their woes with Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi.
When I was 17 years old, I campaigned for the first time for my father in 1989. It's now 35 years, I have campaigned for my mother, my brother and many of my colleagues in different elections.
— Congress Kerala (@INCKerala) October 23, 2024
But this is the first time I'm campaigning for myself. I'm deeply grateful to… pic.twitter.com/TOamWJYFju
Women, both young and old, lined up on either side of the road near the Kalpetta new bus stand at least an hour before the road show began. They stood their ground patiently despite the heat, intimidating crowding, and a slight delay in Priyanka's arrival.
Many had the green and saffron headbands of the United Democratic Front (UDF) tied to their foreheads while most others enthusiastically queued before volunteers distributing placards announcing the arrival of "Wayanadinte Priyankari" (Darling of Wayanad) cards.
They sloganeered, cheered and energetically waved at Priyanka and her family as they boarded an open top vehicle for the road show.
When the rally culminated near the Collectorate, many women were seen watching the Gandhi siblings speak from the balconies of several multi-story buildings in the area. It brought smiles on the faces of many when Rahul mentioned how Wayanad had backed him in testing times.
From the response of the women, it was evident that Rahul's attempt to strike an emotional chord with them had worked.
Anisha, district-in-charge of the Thrissur Transgender Congress unit, told THE WEEK that several members of the transgender wing of the grand old party had arrived in Wayanad to participate in the road show.
She boarded an overnight bus from Kochi alongside a friend and used the DCC office to freshen up ahead of the event.
"We had come here for Rahul Gandhi's campaigning, too. Then also, we spent the night at the DCC office before joining the rally in the morning," Anisha said.
Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency is spread across three districts, and Congress cadres from Malappuram and Kozhikode had also arrived to join the campaign trail.
A block level leader of the Mahila Congress from Malappuram district's Karuvarakundu said that the party had arranged 30 vehicles for commuting the workers to Kalpetta.
"We had breakfast on the way and have packed biryanis for lunch. We had started around six from our homes," she said while using a placard of Priyanka in a charming pink dress to dodge the scorching afternoon sun.
"We will return after the nominations are submitted. It's a happy day for us," she added.
However, it's not all about the star value and excitement of seeing Priyanka and Rahul together. The deeply political Mahila Congress workers also pointed out that both Rahul and Priyanka have addressed the problems of the farmers.
"... And we need to act against the divisive norms of the central government. Pinarayi Vijayan also has to go. And Congress is the best hope for the people to respond to these oppressive governments," she said.
Unlike the organised women Congress caders, THE WEEK also came across two women who had come on their own expense hoping to talk to either Rahul or Priyanka. However, they failed to be possessed by the vibrancy and cheerfulness all around.
Nabeesa, name changed on request, clearly had a different story to tell. The sexagenarian who lost multiple members of a joint family to the Chooralmala landslide had arrived with a fellow survivor from the government shelter, where they have been residing ever since the tragedy. They arrived in hope of meeting Rahul or Priyanka in person and to raise their distresses. They hope to soon return to their homes.
They set out in a small group, hoping to talk to the leaders during the roadshow. To their great disappointment, there was little room for any one-on-ones with the high-profile leaders.
