New Delhi/IBNS: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday filed her nomination for the upcoming Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll, marking the beginning of her electoral journey.

Priyanka, if elected, will replace her brother and Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, who was twice elected from the constituency in 2019 and 2024.

When Rahul was asked whether Priyanka will beat him as the Wayanad MP if elected performance-wise, the LoP's answer left other Congress members in splits.

"That's a tough question. I don't think so," said Rahul Gandhi.

As she headed to file the poll nomination, Priyanka addressed the crowd and said this is the first time she is campaigning for herself, 35 years after doing the job for others.

The 52-year-old said, "When I was 17 years old, I campaigned for the first time for my father in 1989. It's now 35 years, I have campaigned for my mother, my brother and many of my colleagues in different elections. But this is the first time I'm campaigning for myself.

"I'm deeply grateful to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge-ji for giving me this privilege to be the UDF candidate and to my family for supporting me to be a candidate for Wayanad. It's my honour to represent you if you give me a chance."

Apart from Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka was accompanied by her mother Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for the nomination filing.

Rahul won from the Gandhi bastion Rae Bareli in 2024, five years after Wayanad saved his face after electoral defeat to former Union Minister Smriti Irani in Amethi.

Wayanad will go to bypolls on November 13. The counting of votes will be held on November 23 when the assembly election results for Maharashtra and Jharkhand will also be announced.