'Overwhelmed with gratitude': Priyanka thanks people of Wayanad on winning by-election

New Delhi, Nov 23 (IANS) Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expressed her gratitude to the people of Wayanad on Saturday as she became the third member of the Gandhi family to be in Parliament simultaneously after emerging victorious from the Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala for which by-election was held on November 13. 

Her mother, Sonia Gandhi, is a Rajya Sabha MP, while her brother Rahul Gandhi, is the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. With Priyanka Gandhi winning the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat, she is all set to join her brother Rahul as his colleague in the Lower House of Parliament.

In Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, the Congress General Secretary won her debut election with a massive margin of 4,10,931 votes.

Reacting to her expected victory, Priyanka Gandhi took to social media and wrote: "My dearest sisters and brothers of Wayanad, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the trust you have placed in me. I will make sure that, over time, you truly feel this victory has been your victory and the person you chose to represent you understands your hopes and dreams and fights for you as one of your own.

“I look forward to being your voice in Parliament! Thank you for giving me this honour and even more for the immense love you have given me.”

“My colleagues in the UDF, leaders from across Kerala, workers, volunteers and my office colleagues who worked incredibly hard in this campaign, thank you for your support, for tolerating my 12 hour a day (no food, no rest) car journeys, and for fighting like true soldiers for the ideals we all believe in.

“To my mother, Robert and my two jewels - Raihan and Miraya, no gratitude is ever enough for the love and courage you give me. And to my brother, Rahul, you are the bravest of them all… thank you for showing me the way and having my back, always,” wrote Priyanka.

State unit Congress president and Kannur MP (Lok Sabha) K. Sudhakaran said the people of Kerala have broken the back of the BJP and voted against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s governance.

“This is a vote against Vijayan as in Palakkad you see the huge margin of votes for Rahul Mamkoothathil, and the reduced margin of victory for the CPI-M at Chelakkara,” said Sudhakaran.

In the Palakkad Assembly constituency, though touted to be a thrilling triangular fight, eventually, state Youth Congress President Rahul Mamkoothathil won with 18,840 votes.

In the Chelakkara Assembly constituency, on expected lines, the CPI-M retained their seat when former legislator U.R. Pradeep won with a margin of 12,201 votes.

While the Congress and the CPI-M retained their seats, the BJP did not win any seat. However, it managed to keep second place in Palakkad, though with around 10,000 votes less.