Wayanad by-polls: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra leads with 5,672 votes; CPI, BJP candidates trail in 2nd, 3rd spots

Wayanad (Kerala) [India], November 23 (ANI): Congress candidate Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is leading from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat, counting for which began on Saturday morning, as per the early trends from the Election Commission of India.
Wayanad, a Congress bastion is witnessing a triangular contest between Priyanka Gandhi, BJP's Navya Haridas, and the Left candidate Sathyan Mokeri.
As per the ECI at 9 am today, Priyanka is leading with 5672 votes with Communist Party of India candidate Sathyan Mokeri trailing with 1298 votes.
BJP candidate Navya Haridas is at the third spot with 1133 votes, as per ECI.
Priyanka Gandhi is contesting from the Wayanad constituency as a United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate, from the seat her brother Rahul Gandhi vacated.
Wayanad's seat was vacated by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after he was also elected to Lok Sabha from Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh in the general elections held earlier this year.
If Priyanka Gandhi wins from Wayanad, she will be the third person from the Gandhi family to enter Parliament.
BJP candidate Navya Haridas today expressed confidence in her party's victory, saying that if the people want development in Wayanad, they will choose the NDA.
Speaking to ANI, Haridas said. "Last time Rahul Gandhi had won from Wayanad but he rejected this Mandal and retained Rae Bareli. This time the voting percentage came down as they were not in the mood to face the election after the landslide incident. If people need development in Wayanad, then they would select NDA."
Earlier, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra hit out at the central government, which has reportedly refused to declare Wayanad landslides a national disaster as requested by the Kerala government. In a post on X, Priyanka called it a "shocking injustice" to the victims and criticised the central government for "denying essential relief to those in dire need." (ANI)