Today in Politics: Priyanka Gandhi to file Wayanad bypoll nomination after roadshow with Rahul

Understanding the Congress’s logic

But won’t having 3 Gandhis successful Parliament lone service to fortify the BJP’s attacks connected the Congress implicit “dynasty politics” and its jibes of the “Shahi Parivar” moving the party?

Evidently, yes. But the reasoning wrong the Congress erstwhile Priyanka was nominated successful June — a mates of weeks aft the Lok Sabha predetermination results gave a monolithic boost to the enactment — was that the BJP would proceed attacking it on these lines arsenic agelong arsenic the household continues to beryllium its beating heart, nary substance however galore of them get into Parliament. Some Congress leaders astatine the clip felt Priyanka would not person decided to contention had the BJP returned to powerfulness with a 300-plus mandate. But with the BJP appearing susceptible aft the parliamentary polls, it seemed to beryllium a dependable move.

Politically things person shifted rather a spot since then, particularly aft the Congress’s nonaccomplishment successful Haryana, a authorities it was expected to win. How the representation looks for the Opposition enactment connected November 23 volition beryllium to a ample grade connected whether it manages to dislodge the BJP and its allies successful Maharashtra. And with Priyanka expected to triumph from Wayanad, crisp exchanges successful Parliament betwixt the Narendra Modi authorities and the brother-sister duo, travel the Winter Session, are a chiseled possibility.

But first, Priyanka has to triumph Wayanad and if determination is thing we know, thing successful authorities is simply a foregone conclusion. The Congress wide caput faces seasoned Left person Sathyan Mokeri of the CPI and Kozhikode municipal councillor Navya Haridas of the BJP. The Congress has to fig retired however to hole organisational shortcomings that saw her brother’s ballot stock dip from an exceedingly precocious 64.64% to a inactive beauteous precocious 59.69%. Of the 7 Assembly segments that marque up the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, Rahul Gandhi’s votes dropped sharply successful Kalpetta, Mananthavady, and Sulthan Bathery and this is wherever the enactment has to enactment successful the work.

Priyanka arrived successful Wayanad with her parent connected Tuesday evening. Accompanied by her brother, she volition pb a roadshow from the Kalpetta caller autobus basal starting astatine 11 am. She is expected to taxable the information papers to the territory collector earlier noon. Apart from the Gandhis, the CMs of different Congress-ruled states and assorted elder leaders of the enactment are besides expected to beryllium successful Wayanad.

It’s a deal

While Priyanka files her nomination, the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) confederation is acceptable to denote its seat-sharing statement for the Maharashtra Assembly elections astatine a property league successful Mumbai successful the afternoon. The breakthrough came aft a marathon day-long gathering connected Tuesday.

Sources person told Alok Deshpande and Vallabh Ozarkar that the Congress is apt to contention 105-110 seats, the Shiv Sena (UBT) 85-90 constituencies, and the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) 75-80 seats. The archetypal Congress database volition beryllium retired connected Friday (October 25), according to AICC Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala.

In different news, PTI reported that Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is backmost successful Guwahati, much than 2 years aft helium past visited the city, to connection prayers astatine the celebrated Kamakhya temple. Shinde and his aides had camped successful Guwahati and visited the temple during the divided successful the Shiv Sena successful June 2022. Shinde visited the temple again 5 months aft the rebellion.

Though Shinde’s Shiv Sena announced its archetypal database of candidates precocious nighttime connected Tuesday, the Mahayuti has not made nationalist the details of however the 3 members of the ruling confederation volition disagreement the 288 constituencies. Shiv Sena workers are said to beryllium against BJP candidates successful the 4 constituencies of Kalyan East, Thane, Navi Mumbai, and Murbad.

Also happening today: PM Narendra Modi volition clasp a bilateral gathering with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the archetypal successful 5 years, connected the sidelines of the BRICS Summit successful Kazan, Russia. Shubhajit Roy gives the lowdown connected the meeting.