Congress criticises Navya Haridas challenging Wayanad bypolls, calls it "cheap publicity"
Dec 21, 2024
New Delhi [India], December 21 : Congress leader Pramod Tiwari slammed Bharatiya Janata Party's Navya Haridas challenging the results of the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll, currently won by Priyanka Gandhi and called it an act of "cheap publicity."
"Some people have the habit of doing cheap publicity. One such person is Navya Haridas...Priyanka Gandhi Vadra won the elections with a margin of 4-5 lakhs," Tiwari told ANI.
BJP's Navya Haridas has moved Kerala High Court seeking an 'Annulment of Poll,' challenging Priyanka Gandhi winning the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypolls. The bypolls for the seat were held on November 13 after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi vacated his seat.
Haridas has claimed that Gandhi, while contesting the election withheld vital information from the constituents, and also had undue influence on the voters of the constituency.
Reacting to the petition, Tiwari said that he is confident that the petition will be thrown out and a fine will be imposed on her.
"I have full faith that her petition will not only be rejected but a penalty will be imposed on her," he told ANI.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore said that even though BJP has the right to file a petition, he is confident that the truth is on their side. 
"BJP people have the right to do all these things. They will complain against Rahul Gandhi in Delhi and against Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Wayanad. We all know that the truth is with our side...," he told ANI.
Speaking about Haridas' petition, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla claimed that apart from his party, even the communist parties have questioned Gandhi's victory.
"Not only BJP but her communist companions in Delhi are also questioning her victory (in Wayanad). They (communists) have said that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was supported by organisations like Jamaat-e-Islami, Congress was behaving like the Muslim League and crossed all the limits of appeasement politics...Everything will be proved in the court...," he told ANI.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra secured the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat with a margin of 4,10,931 votes, defeating Sathyan Mokeri of the Communist Party of India (CPI). Wayanad, a Congress stronghold, witnessed a triangular contest between Priyanka Gandhi, BJP's Navya Haridas, and CPI's Sathyan Mokeri.
