Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, campaigning alongside his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Wayanad, Kerala, on Sunday, opted to forgo any criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, dismissing it as “boring” and choosing instead to highlight his close family bond with Priyanka, the Congress candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabha bypoll.
The joint rally showcased the Gandhi siblings in a different light, with Rahul Gandhi recalling family memories and praising his sister’s resilience and unique perspective.
“In this meeting, I have a choice in front of me to either give a political message or a speech I would give to my family members. I would rather speak to you like I speak to my family. I would like to give a speech more about the candidate herself,” he said, addressing a large crowd.
Rahul Gandhi added, “My sister has always been a campaigner. She never stood for election. That should tell you something about her character.” He fondly recalled childhood memories of a friendly rivalry with Priyanka in photography, reminiscing about the camera gifted by their father, the late Rajiv Gandhi. He shared, “I still don’t remember who won the competition... ok... she (Priyanka) is now saying that I won.”
While Priyanka had earlier criticised the Prime Minister, accusing him of favouring big business interests, Rahul Gandhi chose a different approach. “Anyway, she has already mentioned Mr Modi and we are all bored of him... then why mention him twice?” he quipped, shifting focus to personal anecdotes rather than politics.
Describing Priyanka’s unique qualities, he added, “She understands that the beauty is that everyone has millions and millions of labels, every single person is unique, everything is unique – someone might see weakness, she’ll see strength – that is my sister.”
The by-election for the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat was necessitated after Rahul Gandhi decided to vacate it, having won both the Wayanad and Rae Bareli constituencies in the previous general election. Polling is set for 13 November, with Priyanka Gandhi standing as the Congress candidate.
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