Who is Navya Haridas, the BJP candidate running against Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the Wayanad by-election?

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Navya Haridas against Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for the Wayanad by-election to the Lok Sabha. The polling will be held on November 13, and the results will be declared on November 23.

Navya Haridas is a mechanical engineer with a B.Tech degree from KMCT Engineering College, Calicut University, obtained in 2007.

According to the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), Navya has no criminal cases and owns assets worth Rs 1,29,56,264. She also has a total liability of Rs 1,64,978, as per the ADR.


She serves as a councillor in the Kozhikode Corporation and currently holds the position of Mahila Morcha State General Secretary in the BJP, according to her Twitter profile.

On her Facebook page, she describes herself as the BJP Parliamentary Party Leader and BJMM State General Secretary.

Meanwhile, the LDF has fielded senior CPI leader Sathyan Mokeri for the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll. Mokeri, a former MLA from the Nadapuram constituency in Kozhikode district, is known for his work addressing issues in the agricultural sector.

He had contested the Lok Sabha polls from Wayanad in 2014, significantly reducing the Congress candidate M I Shanavas's margin to around 20,000 votes.

A by-election became necessary after Rahul, who won the Lok Sabha polls from both Wayanad and Rae Bareli constituencies, decided to vacate the Wayanad seat in Kerala.

Following his win, Rahul chose to retain the Rae Bareli constituency and formally notified the Speaker's office of his decision to resign from Wayanad.

He vacated the Wayanad seat within 14 days of the Lok Sabha results, announced on June 4.

The Election Commission has decided to hold by-election for Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency on November 13.