In a significant political contest shaping up in Kerala, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced Navya Haridas as its candidate for the upcoming Wayanad Lok Sabha by-poll, where she will face off against Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. This election comes on the heels of Rahul Gandhi vacating the seat after choosing to retain his position in Uttar Pradesh’s Raebareli. With a background in engineering and a track record in local governance, Haridas aims to make a strong impression in this high-profile electoral battle, signaling a pivotal moment for the BJP in a region traditionally dominated by the Congress party. As the election date approaches, both candidates are gearing up for a fierce campaign to win over the voters of Wayanad.
Navya Haridas, 36, holds a B-Tech degree in mechanical engineering from KMCT Engineering College, graduating in 2007.
She is a two-time councilor in the Kozhikode Corporation and serves as the State General Secretary of the Mahila Morcha in the BJP.
On her Facebook profile, Haridas identifies herself as the BJP Parliamentary Party Leader and the BJMM State General Secretary.
According to the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), Navya has no criminal cases against her.
Haridas’s assets are valued at ₹1,29,56,264, with total liabilities amounting to ₹1,64,978.
Following Rahul Gandhi’s decision to retain his seat in Raebareli, the Congress party has fielded Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from Wayanad for her electoral debut. The party, under Mallikarjun Kharge’s leadership, is intensifying its campaign to surpass Rahul’s previous victory margin. Additionally, the Communist Party of India (CPI), a Congress ally in the opposition INDIA bloc, has nominated Sathyan Mokeri to contest against Priyanka.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has scheduled the by-election for November 13, with results to be announced on November 23. Concurrently, BJP state general secretary C. Krishnakumar will run for the Palakkad Assembly constituency, where the party hopes for significant wins in the upcoming polls.
