Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited his constituency of Varanasi for the first time since the Lok Sabha polls and announced the release of Rs. 20,000 crore to 9.26 crore farmers under the PM-KISAN scheme. He also presented certificates to over 30,000 women from self help groups. In other news, IAS officer Ashwani Kumar has been appointed as the Commissioner of the MCD by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, while rescue operations are underway to relocate stranded tourists in Sikkim. In a surprise move, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has resigned from the Wayanad seat in Kerala and will now only represent Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh.
On the occasion of his 54th birthday, Congress MP and Rae Bareilly MP Rahul Gandhi launched a 'White T-shirt' campaign, symbolizing transparency, solidity, and simplicity. The campaign invites people to share how these values are useful in their lives using #WhiteTshirtArmy, promising a white t-shirt as a gift. Despite facing defeat in his home turf in the 2019 elections, Rahul Gandhi has emerged victorious from Rae Bareilly and retained Wayanad, giving Congress hope for the future.
In a decision that has caused much excitement within the Congress party, Rahul Gandhi has announced that he will be stepping down from his seat in Kerala's Wayanad. This move comes after consultations with the Gandhi family and top leaders of the party, and has been welcomed by party leaders and allies in the state. Priyanka Gandhi, who has a strong bond with the people of Wayanad, will now be contesting the bypoll in Rahul's place. She has promised to be a good representative for the people of Wayanad and will also continue to maintain a presence in Raebareli.
The Congress's decision to field AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for the Wayanad bypoll, following Rahul Gandhi's relinquishment of the seat, is a strategic move to consolidate the party's gains in the 2021 Assembly elections in Kerala. With a high percentage of minority communities in Wayanad, considered a safe seat for the Nehru family's influence in South India, Ms. Vadra's charismatic presence is expected to unify warring factions and appeal to voters' memories of her grandmother, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The decision has also been backed by the Indian Union Muslim League, a key ally of the Congress, ensuring their loyalty to the UDF alliance.
BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar speaks out against the Congress's decision to have Priyanka Gandhi Vadra contest from the Wayanad seat, citing that it is a betrayal of the people of Wayanad. He criticizes Rahul Gandhi for not disclosing his plans to contest from another seat and states that Priyanka's victory in Wayanad is "extremely easy" with the support of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). The IUML, on the other hand, welcomes Priyanka's entry into the political arena and believes it will strengthen the opposition INDIA bloc in Parliament.
Priyanka Gandhi, projected as a possible challenger to PM Narendra Modi and Sonia Gandhi's successor in Rae Bareli, has now been fielded from Kerala's Wayanad by the Congress, after Rahul Gandhi decided to vacate the parliamentary seat. Experts discuss her entry into electoral politics and its potential impact on Indian politics.
Priyanka Gandhi contesting the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll in Kerala while Rahul Gandhi chooses to focus on Raebareli is seen as a calculated political maneuver by the Congress party. The people of Wayanad are expected to welcome Priyanka with the same fervor as they did Rahul, and the Congress leaders believe that the Gandhi legacy will continue through both siblings. The Congress party is confident that having two MPs from Wayanad will bring about a new age of development while maintaining the faith and love of the people in the region.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday claimed that Rahul Gandhi's decision to vacate the Wayanad seat, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's subsequent candidacy for it, proves that the Congress party is nothing but a family business. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge announced that Gandhi will hold on to the Rae Bareli seat and Vadra will contest from Wayanad. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla called the move a betrayal of the Wayanad constituency and accused the Gandhi family of prioritizing their own political legacy over the welfare of the people. He also alleged that the decision was made to prevent the BJP from winning the seat in the bye-elections after Gandhi's victory with support from the Samajwadi Party.
Rahul Gandhi will vacate one of his two seats and keep Raebareli, while Priyanka will contest from Wayanad in response to public demand. The siblings shared a hug after expressing their gratitude and commitment to their constituencies.
The results for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections are being declared, with the BJP-led NDA crossing the majority mark and currently leading in 295 seats. The Congress is trailing behind, leading in only 99 seats. Live updates for the Assembly elections in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, as well as by-elections in various Assembly constituencies, are also being provided. Rahul Gandhi has emerged victorious in both the Rae Bareli and Wayanad seats, while PM Modi has won in Varanasi. In Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah has conceded defeat in Baramullah, and Smriti Irani has accepted her loss in Amethi. JD(S) leader and rape accused Prajwal Revanna has lost in Hassan. Stay tuned for more live updates and analysis.