All Gandhis in parliament from today as Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Sworn in as Wayanad MP

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is set to take her oath as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the Lok Sabha today, following her decisive victory in the recent by-poll for the Wayanad constituency. This marks her first term as an MP, where she will join her brother, Rahul Gandhi, who represents Raebareli, and her mother, Sonia Gandhi, a Rajya Sabha member.

At 52, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s entry into the Lok Sabha signifies a historic moment for the Gandhi family, as it is the first time in decades that three members of the family will serve in Parliament simultaneously. While Priyanka and Rahul will sit in the Lok Sabha, Sonia Gandhi opted not to contest the 2024 elections from Raebareli, continuing her service in the Rajya Sabha.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra becomes the third woman in her family to take the oath as an MP, following in the footsteps of her mother and her grandmother, the late former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

In the recent bypoll, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra secured an impressive 6,22,000 votes, defeating her nearest rival from the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Sathyan Mokeri, by over 4,00,000 votes— a margin surpassing that of Rahul Gandhi's victory in the 2024 elections.

Expressing her gratitude after the win, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra stated, "I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the trust you have placed in me. I will ensure that you feel this victory has been your victory, and I will represent your hopes and dreams in Parliament." She made her remarks via a social media post.

Rahul Gandhi, who also won from both Wayanad and Raebareli, chose to retain his family stronghold in Raebareli, vacating Wayanad for Priyanka. He received 647,000 votes in his constituency, winning by a margin of 364,000 votes.

In addition to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress leader Ravindra Chavan, who won a bypoll in Nanded, will also take the oath as an MP today.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra entered the political arena in 2019 when she was appointed as Congress General Secretary for eastern Uttar Pradesh, later taking on the broader responsibilities for the entire state. Despite the party's challenges in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, she played a pivotal role in the Congress's strategy for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. 

Under her leadership, the INDIA alliance, which includes Congress and the Samajwadi Party, won 43 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, effectively curtailing the BJP's majority in the Lok Sabha. She was influential in securing victories in key constituencies, including Raebareli and Amethi, where the Congress emerged victorious against BJP candidates.