{"id":1520,"date":"2026-07-13T17:06:06","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T17:06:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=1520"},"modified":"2026-07-13T17:06:06","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T17:06:06","slug":"where-are-the-gandhi-siblings-why-wayanad-has-put-rahul-priyanka-in-the-line-of-bjp-fire-india-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=1520","title":{"rendered":"Where are the Gandhi siblings? Why Wayanad has put Rahul, Priyanka in the line of BJP fire | India News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-132371311,imgsize-200759,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/rahul-gandhi-priyanka-gandhi-vadra-ians-image.jpg\" alt=\"Where are the Gandhi siblings? Why Wayanad has put Rahul, Priyanka in the line of BJP fire\" title=\"Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (IANS image)\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Ta7d_ img_cptn\"><span title=\"Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (IANS image)\">Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (IANS image)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Where are the Gandhi siblings? This is the question the BJP is asking after leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/topic\/rahul-gandhi\" styleobj=\"[object Object]\" class=\"\" commonstate=\"[object Object]\" frmappuse=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rahul Gandhi<\/a> and Wayanad MP <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/topic\/priyanka-gandhi\" styleobj=\"[object Object]\" class=\"\" commonstate=\"[object Object]\" frmappuse=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Priyanka Gandhi<\/a> Vadra did not visit the constituency following the July 7 landslide that claimed eight lives.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"6\"\/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/topic\/priyanka\" styleobj=\"[object Object]\" class=\"\" commonstate=\"[object Object]\" frmappuse=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Priyanka<\/a> is the sitting MP, while Rahul was elected from Wayanad twice in 2019 and 2024. The BJP has reminded the Gandhis of Rahul\u2019s promise that Wayanad would have &#8220;two MPs&#8221;, one official and one unofficial, when he was passing over the baton to Priyanka. A week after the tragedy, the BJP\u2019s charge is that Wayanad effectively has neither.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"9\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>The \u2018part-time politicians\u2019 charge<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>The BJP has accused the Gandhi siblings of being \u201cpart-time politicians\u201d and treating Wayanad as a constituency of political convenience.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"14\"\/>BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi cited Rahul\u2019s defeat in the family bastion of Amethi in 2019 to argue that Wayanad had provided him political ground at a difficult moment.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"16\"\/> <\/p>\n<div data-pos=\"0\" class=\"id-r-component iIpbx undefined  &#10;        \">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\".\" msid=\"132371365\" width=\"\" title=\"\" placeholdersrc=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/83033472.cms\" imgsize=\"\" resizemode=\"4\" offsetvertical=\"0\" placeholdermsid=\"47529300\" type=\"thumb\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/msid-132371365\/.jpg\" data-api-prerender=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"19\"\/>\u201cWhen Rahul Gandhi was unsuccessful in saving his political ground on his family seat, Wayanad provided him with political ground,\u201d Trivedi said. \u201cWhen he left that seat and gave it to his sister Priyanka, Rahul Gandhi said Wayanad would have not one, but two MPs. And today, both the so-called MPs are absent from the scene.\u201d<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"23\"\/>BJP spokesperson Tuhin Sinha sharpened the attack, calling Rahul and Priyanka \u201cpolitical tourists\u201d. He alleged that Rahul had used Wayanad for his political survival after losing Amethi and abandoned it once he won Rae Bareli. He also claimed that Priyanka could leave if a more convenient seat became available.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"25\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>Why Wayanad matters<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>Wayanad has a special connection with the Gandhi siblings. <!-- -->Priyanka Gandhi represents Wayanad in the present Lok Sabha while Rahul Gandhi won from here twice.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"30\"\/>In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Wayanad elected Rahul Gandhi for Lok Sabha with an impressive margin of over 12 lakh votes. This victory was significant and important for Rahul\u2019s political career as the people of Amethi, from where the Gandhi scion was winning since 2014, had rejected him. Rahul had lost the election to BJP\u2019s Smriti Irani. <!-- -->Wayanad victory ensured Rahul\u2019s continued presence in Lok Sabha.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"34\"\/><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"36\"\/>In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi again won from Wayanad though with a reduced margin. However, since Rahul also won from Rae Bareli, the traditional Congress stronghold in Uttar Pradesh, he vacated his Wayanad seat. And that paved the way for the electoral debut of his sister Priyanka Gandhi in the ensuing bypoll. She won the November 2024 by-election by a landslide, securing 65% of the vote share and outperforming Rahul&#8217;s previous victory margin.<!-- --> So, their no-show in Wayanad has given the BJP enough ammunition for political attack.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"40\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>Beyond Wayanad: Where is Rahul?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>The Wayanad attack is part of a larger question the BJP has raised over the past few days: Where is Rahul Gandhi?<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"43\"\/>Rahul has remained out of public view for nearly three weeks. His last major public appearance was at the launch of the \u2018Chhatron Ki Goonj\u2019 student outreach initiative in Kota on June 17 amid the controversy over alleged irregularities in NEET. <!-- -->The next planned event is on July 17.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"47\"\/>BJP claims that Rahul travelled abroad on June 22. The Congress has not responded to these claims.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"49\"\/>BJP IT department head Amit Malviya questioned the secrecy surrounding Rahul\u2019s programme. &#8220;Rahul Gandhi\u2019s foreign trip between 22 June and 13 July remains shrouded in mystery. Where did he go? Who did he meet? Who sponsored his travel and stay?&#8221; he said in a post on X.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"51\"\/>The timing has made the absence politically significant. The Congress is grappling with factionalism in Punjab ahead of the 2027 assembly elections, while preparations are also due for the Monsoon Session beginning July 20. <!-- -->As leader of the opposition, Rahul will be central to the party\u2019s floor strategy.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"55\"\/>Wayanad has now added another issue to that list.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"57\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>Congress pushes back<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>The BJP\u2019s attacks prompted a strong rebuttal from the Congress. Pawan Khera, chairman of the party\u2019s media and publicity department, rejected the charge of insensitivity and defended the decision not to visit Wayanad while rescue operations were under way.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"60\"\/>&#8220;If there is a natural disaster, why should there be a VIP visit? There should be a VIP visit only to flag the gaps before the government, if it is insensitive in addressing the concerns of victims and their woes. <!-- -->Right now, the government in Kerala is active, relief measures are under way, and there is no need to disrupt those measures,&#8221; Khera said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"64\"\/>&#8220;Those questioning the absence of Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi must understand that VIP visits are meant to flag gaps and missing links. There is no such need,&#8221; he added.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"66\"\/>Both Rahul and Priyanka had responded to the tragedy through posts on X. Rahul described the news as \u201cdeeply distressing\u201d, offered condolences and appealed to Congress and UDF workers to extend all possible assistance.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"69\"\/> <\/p>\n<div data-pos=\"0\" class=\"id-r-component iIpbx undefined  &#10;        \">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\".\" msid=\"132371378\" width=\"\" title=\"\" placeholdersrc=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/83033472.cms\" imgsize=\"\" resizemode=\"4\" offsetvertical=\"0\" placeholdermsid=\"47529300\" type=\"thumb\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/msid-132371378\/.jpg\" data-api-prerender=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"72\"\/>Priyanka said rescue efforts were under way and chief minister V D Satheesan was monitoring the operation. She said she was coordinating with the district administration, ministers, local party functionaries and relief agencies, and urged UDF workers to help without hampering rescue work.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"74\"\/>The Congress\u2019s argument is that the absence of a physical visit should not be equated with a lack of involvement.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"76\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>What commentators say<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>Political commentators, however, said the presence of an elected representative becomes especially important when tragedy strikes their constituency.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"80\"\/>&#8220;People expect their MLA and MP to be with them when a tragedy hits them, particularly when it is because of natural causes. It is unfortunate that Waynad MP did not visit the place even after a week has passed. Is it only that you want vote of people and there is reciprocal commitment?&#8221; Kerala-based political commentator Damodar Prasad told TOI.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"82\"\/>&#8220;People&#8217;s representatives are bound to be there to oversee the relief work. <!-- -->The absence alienates the people&#8217;s representative from them. The great lessons one should learn from Nehru, Indira and Rajiv is in their sensitivity to be amidst the people in their crisis,&#8221; he added.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"86\"\/>Professor G Gopakumar, senior political scientist and former vice-chancellor of the Central University of Kerala, said both Rahul and Priyanka should have rushed to Wayanad.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"88\"\/>&#8220;Given the significance of the current trajedy in Waynad, especially the fragile nature of the hills therein, both the Opposition Leader and the local M.P. <!-- -->should have rushed to the constituency. Since the state Government is also led by the Congress, proper attention is needed. It is a shared responsibility. Kerala need to seriously think about it&#8217;s environmental protection and future policy action, as rightly reminded by Professor Gadgil and Dr.<!-- --> Kasturirangan,&#8221; he said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"94\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>Is the attack justified?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>While the Congress has strongly defended the Gandhis over the Wayanad no-show, arguing against VIP visits during disasters, the fact remains that two years ago both Rahul and Priyanka visited Wayanad after a massive landslide killed more than 300 people.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"98\"\/>They visited the landslide-hit Chooralmala area on August 1, 2024. Rahul had then committed that the Congress family would build more than 100 houses in the disaster-hit areas.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"100\"\/>Kerala was then ruled by the CPM-led LDF, while the Congress-led UDF was in the opposition. The Congress won the 2026 Assembly elections and now heads the state government.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"102\"\/>Little wonder, then, that the BJP is questioning the absence of the Gandhis from the scene of the latest tragedy and linking it to political opportunism.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"104\"\/>For Rahul and Priyanka, the controversy is therefore less about administrative responsibility and more about whether their promised political commitment to Wayanad is visible when the constituency needs it most.<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/india\/where-are-the-gandhi-siblings-why-wayanad-has-put-rahul-priyanka-in-the-line-of-bjp-fire\/articleshow\/132370825.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (IANS image) Where are the Gandhi siblings? This is the question the BJP is asking after leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra did not visit the constituency following the July 7 landslide that claimed eight lives.Priyanka is the sitting MP, while [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1521,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1520","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-31"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/rahul-gandhi-priyanka-gandhi-vadra-ians-image.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/rahul-gandhi-priyanka-gandhi-vadra-ians-image.jpg","medium_large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/rahul-gandhi-priyanka-gandhi-vadra-ians-image.jpg","large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/rahul-gandhi-priyanka-gandhi-vadra-ians-image.jpg","1536x1536":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/rahul-gandhi-priyanka-gandhi-vadra-ians-image.jpg","2048x2048":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/rahul-gandhi-priyanka-gandhi-vadra-ians-image.jpg","blogsy-small":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/rahul-gandhi-priyanka-gandhi-vadra-ians-image.jpg","blogsy-small-tall":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/rahul-gandhi-priyanka-gandhi-vadra-ians-image.jpg","blogsy-small-square":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/rahul-gandhi-priyanka-gandhi-vadra-ians-image.jpg","blogsy-small-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/rahul-gandhi-priyanka-gandhi-vadra-ians-image.jpg","blogsy-medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/rahul-gandhi-priyanka-gandhi-vadra-ians-image.jpg","blogsy-medium-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/rahul-gandhi-priyanka-gandhi-vadra-ians-image.jpg","blogsy-large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/rahul-gandhi-priyanka-gandhi-vadra-ians-image.jpg","blogsy-wide":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/rahul-gandhi-priyanka-gandhi-vadra-ians-image.jpg"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"admin","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":"0","magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (IANS image) Where are the Gandhi siblings? This is the question the BJP is asking after leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra did not visit the constituency following the July 7 landslide that claimed eight lives.Priyanka is the sitting MP, while [&hellip;]","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 \u0b2c\u0b3f\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36"],"magazineBlocksPostViewCount":5,"magazineBlocksPostReadTime":7,"magazine_blocks_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/rahul-gandhi-priyanka-gandhi-vadra-ians-image.jpg",400,225,false],"medium":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/rahul-gandhi-priyanka-gandhi-vadra-ians-image.jpg",300,169,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/rahul-gandhi-priyanka-gandhi-vadra-ians-image.jpg",150,84,false]},"magazine_blocks_author":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/author\/admin"},"magazine_blocks_comment":0,"magazine_blocks_author_image":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g","magazine_blocks_category":"<a href=\"#\" class=\"category-link category-link-31\">\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 \u0b2c\u0b3f\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36<\/a>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1520","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1520"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1520\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1521"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1520"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1520"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1520"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}