People brought under false pretences for Priyanka Gandhi's roadshow: BJP's Navya Haridas

Wayanad, Kerala: A day after Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra held a massive roadshow in the hill constituency, her BJP rival, Navya Haridas, on Thursday alleged that the huge turnout was ensured by bringing people from other districts, including Thrissur, under false pretences.

Haridas, the BJP candidate in the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll, alleged that people were brought there under the pretext of taking them for a shoot or a trip to the tourist spots in Wayanad and that is how there was a huge turnout for the roadshow.

She further said that Priyanka's arrival and roadshow were like a seasonal festival which only comes once every year.

"But, the people will see through it," the BJP candidate, who will file her nomination papers on Thursday, said.

Haridas also hit out at Priyanka, who had filed her nomination on Wednesday, by saying that the Congress general secretary was a big candidate only on the basis of her prominent political family background.

"However, a corporation councillor like me is a person who has years of experience of working with the people and came forward by working at the grassroot level.

"If family dominance is a criteria for a candidate's greatness, then only she (Priyanka) can claim that. The BJP does not have such criteria and I cannot claim to have any such dominance," she contended.

Haridas said that ex-BJP state president and former Mizoram Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan and other senior party leaders will accompany her when she files her nomination.

She is pitted against Priyanka and LDF's Sathyan Mokeri in the bypoll.

Haridas is a two-time councillor in the Kozhikode Corporation. She is also the state general secretary of the Mahila Morcha.

The by-election for Wayanad LS seat became necessary after Rahul Gandhi, who won the Lok Sabha polls from there and Rae Bareli constituency, decided to vacate Wayanad.

Voting in Wayanad will be held on November 13.