Priyanka’s outreach programme touched the grassroots this time, claims Congress

The 12-day outreach programme of All India Congress Committee general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, MP, in Wayanad constituency from September 11 to 22 seems to have been largely successful in helping her establish a strong rapport with various communities, landslide survivors, representatives of the farming community, religious leaders, and influencers in the hill region.

Unlike a typical political tour, her visit was characterised by a hands-on approach at the grassroots, which countered the perception of her being a Delhi-centric VIP leader. The Wayanad constituency was vacated by her brother and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, who had won in both Wayanad and Raebareli, then retained the latter, before she contested and won the subsequent by-election with a substantial margin.

“She trekked through the forest to reach the Cholanaikkan tribal settlements to listen to their grievances. She visited Padma Shri awardee and agricultural conservationist Cheruvayal Raman to understand the issues faced by farmers. She chaired a meeting of the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee, where major issues concerning the district were brought up for discussion,” said N.D. Appachan, president of the Wayanad District Congress Committee.

Ms. Vadra met with the survivors of the landslide in Mundakkai and Chooralmala last year and listened to their woes. She held meetings with religious leaders, writers, and local influencers to connect with diverse constituency groups and inaugurated multiple health and drinking water projects to improve local infrastructure.

“Ms Gandhi has promised to make the best efforts, meet the ministers concerned, and press for the matters of the proposed rail routes to Wayanad, the Poozhithode-Padinjarathara road, and the possibility of a bypass to the Thamarassery Ghat Road,” Mr. Appachan added.

Meanwhile, Ms. Vadra’s visit was eclipsed by factional disputes within the local Congress unit, including the alleged suicide of Jose Nelledam, a party leader in Mullankolli, and the attempted suicide of Padmaja Vijesh, the daughter-in-law of N.M. Vijayan, a party functionary who had allegedly ended his life a few months ago.

The CPI(M) remains apprehensive of Ms. Vadra’s silence on matters that plague Wayanad such as the ban on traffic to Karnataka at night. “Since the Congress is in power in Karnataka, she could have easily cleared the first issue. She did not even visit the families of the leaders who committed suicide and called them to her instead,” said CPI(M) district secretary K. Rafeeq.

Even then, the Congress leadership believes that Ms. Vadra’s visit was both a symbolic and practical effort to reset her image in the constituency.