After years of deliberations, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is set to make her electoral debut from the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, marking a pivotal moment for the Congress leader since her appointment as the party’s general secretary in 2019.

The development came after Rahul Gandhi decided to retain the Rae Bareli seat in Uttar Pradesh. This paved the way for Priyanka Gandhi’s electoral debut. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge announced this during a special press conference on Monday.

For many years, Priyanka Gandhi has remained reticent and stayed away from the spotlight, and instead chose to focus on supporting the family bastions of Amethi and Rae Bareli, represented by Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, respectively. Since becoming actively involved in politics, Priyanka Gandhi has campaigned for the party across various regions of the country. Speculation had arisen intermittently about the possibility of the party nominating Priyanka Gandhi to the Rajya Sabha, but she has opted instead to make her parliamentary debut by contesting a Lok Sabha by-poll.

If Priyanka Gandhi wins from Wayanad, three members of the Nehru-Gandhi family will hold seats in Parliament: Sonia Gandhi in the Rajya Sabha, and Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi in the Lok Sabha.

Here’s a look at Priyanka Gandhi’s political journey

Priyanka Gandhi, aged 52, has recently stepped into the political limelight after being considered for Congress candidates in Amethi, Rae Bareli, and Varanasi. Her journey began two decades ago when she supported her mother Sonia Gandhi and brother Rahul during the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. Her focus has primarily been on Uttar Pradesh, where she has worked to strengthen Congress strongholds like Amethi and Rae Bareli.

Priyanka gained prominence in 2017 for her role in resolving tensions between the Samajwadi Party and Congress over seat-sharing in Uttar Pradesh. Following negotiations involving senior leaders such as Sonia Gandhi and herself with Akhilesh Yadav and Azam Khan, an alliance was successfully formed. This collaboration saw the Samajwadi Party contesting 298 seats and Congress fielding candidates in 105 constituencies.

Her political responsibilities expanded significantly in January 2019 when she was appointed as the party’s general secretary for eastern Uttar Pradesh. This move consolidated her influence in areas crucial to Congress, including Amethi and Rae Bareli. After Jyotiraditya Scindia’s departure from the party in September 2020, Priyanka took on a broader role as the general secretary overseeing the entire state. During this time, there were speculations about her potential candidacy against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi or as a successor to her mother in Rae Bareli.

Despite her efforts, Congress faced significant setbacks in Uttar Pradesh during her entry year, securing only one seat in the state. Priyanka has been a vocal advocate for women’s empowerment, launching initiatives like ‘Ladki Hoon Lad Sakti Hoon’ ahead of the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, where Congress pledged to allocate 40% of its tickets to women candidates. However, these efforts did not yield significant electoral gains, with the party managing to win just two out of 403 seats.

In recent years, Priyanka has experienced a mix of successes and challenges, including a notable victory for Congress in Himachal Pradesh in December 2022, but subsequent losses in states like Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. Following a reshuffle in December 2023, she retained her role as a general secretary but was relieved of specific responsibilities in Uttar Pradesh.Married to businessman Robert Vadra, Priyanka has been actively involved in shaping Congress’s electoral strategies, although her husband’s aspirations to contest from Amethi were eventually succeeded by a family loyalist.

Looking ahead, all eyes are now on Priyanka as she prepares for the upcoming by-elections in Wayanad. A victory there would mark a significant milestone, with all three members of the Gandhi family—Rahul in Rae Bareli, Sonia in the Rajya Sabha, and Priyanka in the Lok Sabha—holding parliamentary seats, underscoring their enduring political influence.