Wayanad, Nov 11 Congress General Secretary and Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll candidate Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said on Monday that her election campaign has turned out to be the "most happiest" she has had in the past 35 years.
"You have given me too much love. You have received me with love and affection everywhere. You have treated me as a sister, mother and as your daughter. I will be always grateful," Priyanka Gandhi, while addressing her last election meet at the Sultan Bathery Assembly segment before the end of campaigning for the November 13 bypolls.
Accompanied by her brother and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, she said that she never felt tired even though she started early and finished late in the night. “I was never tired because of the love you have given me,” she said while addressing a mammoth crowd of supporters.
She said that it would be the greatest honour for her to represent the people of Wayanad in the Parliament.
"You have stood with my brother Rahul at his most difficult times. I know how sad it is for him (Rahul Gandhi) to leave Wayanad. But I also know he is happy because I am here now. Rahul knows the deep love and respect we as a family have for you. He knows I will work for you and address your all issues," Priyanka Gandhi said.
She also claimed that she would fight for the people of Wayanad and be with them in their time of need. “Rahul will tell you that I am also a fighter. I will fight for you. Just like Rahul, I will not bend before anyone to protect the Constitution,” she added.
Priyanka Gandhi ended her speech in Malayalam, saying: "I will come back soon again."
Later, the Congress General Secretary took to her social media on X, saying that it would be an honour to work for the people of Wayanad.
"Today is the last day of my campaign in Wayanad. This has been the most happy and beautiful campaign I have had the privilege of being part of. I would like to thank all of you for your love, for the kindness with which you have welcomed me in every town, village and street- from Kalpetta to Mananthavady, Sultan Bathery to Thiruvambady, to Ernad, Nilambur and Wandoor," she wrote.
"It would be the greatest honour for me to work with you, to be your voice in parliament and to build a better future for you and your children."
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi, wearing a white T-shirt with ‘I Love Wayanad’ written on it, said that after he won from Wayanad, he started to use the word ‘love’ in politics.
"After becoming MP from Wayanad, it changed my outlook towards politics. Normally politicians have a political relationship. It’s like a transactional relationship. You have to do this for me and we will do it for you. But in Wayanad, we never had such a relationship. For 15 years in my politics, I did not use the word love in politics. I started to use it only after winning from Wayanad," the former Wayanad MP said.
"The main word I used was the word love and affection as a political tool. Even if the person standing in front of you abuses you, you don’t respond in the same way and that’s what I learned from the people of Wayanad. That’s why I wear this T-shirt - I love Wayand."
Rahul Gandhi added that he is sure that his sister will win from Wayanad. “I have seen through all times good and bad how she (Priyanka) behaves. I have seen how she brought up her children and I know her. Hence, I can tell you she will be an excellent MP,” he said.
He added that he advised Priyanka Gandhi that campaigning in Wayanad would be the most enjoyable thing she will be doing.
"Campaigning in Wayanad is not like the routine election campaign. You (Priyanka) will feel like you are going to your mother’s or brother’s place. This is not a political mission but you are going to meet your family," he said.
Rahul Gandhi added that his sister has understood what it means to campaign in Wayanad. "She actually campaigned for our father, mother and myself. Since 1989, she has been campaigning, so for nearly four decades she has been campaigning but has never been an MP," the LoP said.
He added that Wayanad is the only constituency where there will be two “MPs” as both (Rahul and Priyanka) will raise issues of Wayanad.
“I told her that in five years Wayanad should become a tourist destination not just in India but in the world and I will help her in whatever way I can,” added Rahul Gandhi.
LDF candidate Sathyan Mokeri said that he has completed three rounds and met as many people as possible including the tribal community and the youth.
“I now see that the scenario is better than the 2014 elections,” he said.
Navya Haridas, the BJP candidate, said that contesting elections is nothing new for her as this is her fourth election. “I won one and lost two. I am confident of doing well here,” said Haridas, a software engineer turned BJP politician. She is presently a councillor at the Kozhikode Corporation.
Wayanad constituency is spread across seven Assembly constituencies in three districts – Wayanad, Malappuram, and Kozhikode.
Of the seven, four are held by the Congress-led UDF, two by the CPI-M and one was won by the Left-backed independent legislator P.V. Anvar who has now split up with the ruling Left and floated his own party.
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