Priyanka Gandhi's Kerala Visit Puts Cow 'Alia Bhatt' In Spotlight

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi's visit to a dairy farm in Kerala's Wayanad has put the spotlight on a cow named Alia Bhatt.

The Kodencherry dairy farm, located in Thiruvambady, hosted the Wayanad MP, and a video from the event went viral for the adorable cow sharing a name with the Bollywood actress. She was named by farmer Mathew and Father Augustine.

The farm is run by Sheeba Francis, Director of the local Milk Co-operative Society, and managed by Jinu Thomas, Secretary of the Kodencherry Co-operative Society. It has become a point of interest following Priyanka's visit earlier this week.

In videos obtained by NDTV, Francis is seen feeding the cows fresh grass and recalling the visit.

"We were truly delighted when Priyanka Gandhi visited our farm. It was something we had never even dreamed of. She spent nearly an hour at the farm, personally feeding all the cows," Francis said.

"She asked for and learned the names of the cows. Among them, she particularly liked the name Alia Bhatt. She inquired about every aspect of the farm and took a genuine interest in understanding how things work. For a calf that was just a month old, the MP suggested the name Maria. And we have named her Maria just as she suggested," Francis said. She was seen petting the calf.

According to Jinu Thomas, the visit was motivated by her  "particular concern for and support of the dairy farm sector."

"This farm is regarded as the best in the panchayat and has received numerous awards and recognition at the state, district and block level. It is a family-run enterprise with no permanent workers, managing around 30 cows. This dedication and success are what brought the MP here, to better understand the challenges faced by dairy farmers," he added.

During the visit, Priyanka Gandhi also interacted with cooperative societies and local farmers, listening to their issues and assuring her support. "She also made a promise to bring their concerns to the responsible authorities," Thomas said.

On difficulties dairy farmers face today, Thomas said, "Dairy farmers are currently facing a severe crisis. Many are forced to abandon the sector. Rising costs have significantly affected the business. There is a clear mismatch between expenses and income. Another major challenge is the threat posed by wild animals, which adds to the struggle for farmers."

Earlier this week, the Wayanad MP shared a video of the cow on X. "Met a group of dairy farmers at a dairy farm run by the loveliest family (and even encountered a cow named Alia Bhatt!!, due apologies to Ms. Bhatt @aliaa08, but she was really a cutie pie!)," she wrote.

The video shows Priyanka Gandhi feeding and petting cows, speaking to farmers, and taking notes as they shared their concerns. 

Met a group of dairy farmers at a dairy farm run by the loveliest family (and even encountered a cow named Alia Bhatt!!, due apologies to Ms.Bhatt @aliaa08, but she was really a cutie pie!).

Unfortunately dairy farmers are struggling with multiple difficulties and many are… pic.twitter.com/p36oeAZTbF

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) October 7, 2025

She also drew attention to the challenges faced by dairy farmers, saying that many were struggling to make ends meet. The politician said she intended to write to the concerned ministry to apprise them of issues such as the rising cost of veterinary medicines, inadequate insurance coverage, and difficulties in accessing good-quality cattle feed.

"My gratitude to the many farmers who were kind enough to spend a lot of time explaining these issues to me. I will do whatever I can to help," she said.