Wayanad (Kerala): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced on Saturday that Navya Haridas will be its candidate for the Wayanad Lok Sabha by-poll, where she will face Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, media reports said.

The by-election became necessary after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, now the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, won from both Wayanad and Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli in the general election and chose to retain Raebareli.

Navya Haridas, 36, holds a B-Tech degree in mechanical engineering from KMCT Engineering College, Calicut University, having graduated in 2007.

She is a two-time councillor in the Kozhikode Corporation and currently serves as the Mahila Morcha State General Secretary in the BJP.

Haridas describes herself on Facebook as the BJP Parliamentary Party Leader and BJMM State General Secretary.

According to the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), Haridas has no criminal cases and owns assets worth Rs 1,29,56,264, with liabilities amounting to Rs 1,64,978, reported HindustanTimes.

After Rahul Gandhi vacated the Wayanad seat, Congress chose Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to contest, marking her electoral debut.

Under Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s leadership, the party has intensified its campaign efforts in the constituency, aiming to surpass Rahul Gandhi’s previous victory margin.

The Communist Party of India (CPI), a Congress ally in the opposition INDIA bloc, has fielded Sathyan Mokeri against Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Wayanad, according to the report.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced that the by-election will be held on November 13, with results expected on November 23.

BJP state general secretary C Krishnakumar will contest the Palakkad Assembly by-poll, where the party hopes to secure a significant win.