Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who kicked off her electoral debut with a massive roadshow in Kalpetta here and filed her nomination for the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll, on Wednesday said she has 35 years of experience in the political arena beginning from the age of 17 years when she campaigned for her late father Rajiv Gandhi in 1989.
Priyanka, who reached Wayanad on Tuesday night with her mother and Congress Parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, led a massive roadshow along with her brother -- Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi -- in Kalpetta and then addressed the thousands who were gathered here to give her rousing welcome with placards, balloons and drum beats.
Addressing the massive gathering ahead of filing nominations for the November 13 bypoll, she said, "At the age of 17 years, I first campaigned for my father in 1989. It has been 35 years now (since then).
"I have campaigned for my mother, for my brother and for many of my (party) colleagues. This is the first time I am campaigning for myself."
Her statement comes a day after BJP's Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll candidate Navya Haridas said she was more experienced in representing people than Priyanka.
Sonia Gandhi, Rahul, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, Telangana CM A Revanth Reddy and other senior party leaders were present on the dais during Priyanka's speech.
During her public address, Priyanka further said that she was deeply grateful to Kharge for giving her the "privilege" of being the UDF candidate from Wayanad and "it is my honour to represent you (people of Wayanad), if you give me a chance".
She also referred to her visit to Wayanad after the massive landslides which destroyed three villages in the hill district and claimed over 200 lives, and said everyone she met was engaged in helping others.
"Your courage deeply touched me. It would be a big honour and a great privilege to me to be a part of your community and your family," she said.
She further said that the people of Wayanad stood with her brother Rahul when the whole world had turned its back on him.
"My whole family will always remain indebted to you and grateful to you for this support. He (Rahul) is sad to leave you, but I have promised him that I will only strengthen the bond between you and him.
"I am here to fight your battles, stand by you through thick and thin, be your voice, and I will not let you down," she said.
Attacking the BJP government at the Centre, Priyanka said that the present times were one where those in power were trying to divide the people who voted them to power.
"They do not hesitate to subvert democracy. It is not the politics on which our nation was founded," she said.
The Congress leader also said that all religious texts, be it the Bible, Gita or Quran, teach love, humility and equality.
Rahul, who also addressed the gathering, asked the people of the hill region to take care of his sister, Priyanka Gandhi, just as they had protected and looked after him when he needed it most.
Rahul, who represented Wayanad from 2019 to 2024, also said that he would be the unofficial MP from the constituency, while his sister would be the official MP.
"So, there will be two MPs from Wayanad in Parliament," he said.
The by-election for Wayanad LS seat became necessary after Rahul Gandhi, who won the Lok Sabha polls from there and Rae Bareli constituency this year, decided to vacate Wayanad.
Kharge, who also spoke at the event, said that Priyanka is in Wayanad not just to file her nomination, but as a relentless champion for the people of the hill district. "Bless her, and she will deliver the results," he said.
After their public address, Priyanka left for the collectorate where she filed her nomination papers in the presence of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Kharge and All India Congress Committee general secretary KC Venugopal.
Subsequently, Priyanka and Rahul visited the Puthumala mass burial ground and paid tribute to those who lost their lives in the Wayanad landslides.
Earlier in the day, she was given a rousing welcome by thousands of United Democratic Front workers and supporters as well as members of the general public of all age groups, who were waiting since early morning, carrying placards with Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi's photographs, balloons in the party colours and drum beats.
Balloons in the party colours of the Congress and its ally Indian Union Muslim League dominated the scene as they were also lined up on both sides of the nearly two kilometer long roadshow route.
Green flags of IUML and the tricolour of the Congress, which were absent during Rahul Gandhi's roadshow in April this year, were also seen, but in very few numbers.
Priyanka's husband, Robert Vadra, and her son were also seen along with her in the open-roof vehicle along with other senior party and IUML leaders during the roadshow.
Priyanka would be contesting against Left Democratic Front's Sathyan Mokeri and Bharatiya Janata Party's Navya Haridas.
Voting in Wayanad will be held on November 13.
