Wayanad bypolls: BJP candidate Navya Haridas challenges Priyanka Gandhi’s electoral victory in Kerala HC

Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll candidate Navya Haridas has moved a petition challenging Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi's victory in the recently held byelection.

The BJP leader moved the petition on Friday alleging discrepancies in the nomination papers filed by the Congress general secretary. Haridas claimed Gandhi provided “false information” in her nomination papers and did not furnish full details regarding assets owned by her, and her family. Haridas argued it was “against the Model Code of Conduct and amounts to corrupt practices”.

Advocate Hari Kumar G. Nair, who filed the petition for Haridas, said that the plea seeks setting aside of Priyanka's election for allegedly "suppressing vital information about the various assets owned by her and her family", and "misguiding, misinforming and keeping the voters in the dark with the intention of influencing their choice”, PTI reported. According to reports, the High Court is likely to take up the case for hearing on January 5.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi made her electoral debut by winning the bypolls for Wayanad Lok Sabha seat by a historic margin. Of the total 9,57,571 votes polled in the byelection (including postal votes), Priyanka gained 6,22,338 votes and won with a margin of 4,10,931votes against Communist Party of India candidate Sathyan Mokeri, who finished as a distant second. BJP’s Navya Haridas gained 1,09,939 votes.

The bypoll was necessitated after Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi vacated the seat as he won from two constituencies—Wayanad and Rae Bareli—in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.