Wayanad, Oct 16 (IANS): Hours after the Election Commission announced that the Wayanad Lok Sabha by-election would be held on November 13, with the Congress already declaring its General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi as their candidate, party workers hit the campaign trail.

At a few places in the hilly district of Wayanad, happy Congress workers started their job of putting up billboards and painting the name of Priyanka Gandhi on walls in the constituency which is spread across seven Assembly constituencies in three districts -- Wayanad, Malappuram, and Kozhikode.

Incidentally, it was in 2019 that the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat came under international attention when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was named by the party to contest the seat and when votes were counted he won with a staggering margin of 4.6 lakh.

But at his next outing at the 2024 Lok Sabha polls on April 26, Rahul Gandhi's winning margin came down to 3.64 lakh and one reason was the presence of the State BJP President K. Surendran, who was able to double the votes secured by their NDA ally candidate Thushar Vellapally at the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

However, with Rahul Gandhi deciding to vacate Wayanad in favour of Raebareli, there was a sombre feeling in Wayanad, especially among the hardcore Congress workers that the move might backfire.

But just before Rahul vacated the seat on his visit to the constituency, he assured that he would not leave Wayanad just like that and the surprise announcement came that it would be Priyanka Gandhi who would replace him which was greeted with a lot of joy.

The fact that the electorate at Wayanad has accepted Priyanka Gandhi's candidature came when the brother-sister duo came visiting when four districts of the district were washed away in July at one of the worst-ever tragedies that happened at a single place in Kerala, leaving close to 400 people either dead or missing, the people despite their sadness were seen turning out in large numbers to see them.

Meanwhile, the victory of Priyanka Gandhi is certainly a foregone conclusion and it came from none other than the ever-optimistic State BJP President Surendran, who soon after the poll date was announced, said, "We wish to make it very clear that we will continue our winning streak and come out successful in the two Assembly by-elections and at Wayanad we will be putting up a stiff fight."

For the ruling Left Democratic Front, the seat is for the second biggest ally -- CPI. Last time Annie Raja, the wife of the party's General Secretary D. Raja was their candidate and this time they are finalising their candidate which is expected to be announced soon, so would be the BJP.

Now all eyes will be on the arrival of Priyanka Gandhi as the Gandhi family has been the most popular political family which has won the hearts of many.