BJP MP Anil Baluni invites Priyanka Gandhi to lunch at Lutyens’ home she’s vacating for him

In a letter to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Baluni cited his recent cancer treatment to turn down her invitation at the Lutyens’ home, but promised her sumptuous pahadi lunch.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra | Photo: ANI

New Delhi: BJP MP Anil Baluni, who will shift into Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s Lutyens’ Delhi residence after she vacates it by the month-end, has expressed his inability to accept her invitation to tea due to health reasons. He has invited her to a traditional Uttarakhand lunch, instead. 

Priyanka had extended the invitation Sunday, days after the Modi government asked her to vacate the 35 Lodhi Estate Bungalow she was assigned in 1997 as a Special Protection Group (SPG) protectee. 

Priyanka, her mother Sonia Gandhi and brother Rahul Gandhi had SPG protection on account of the fact that former prime ministers Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi were both assassinated. 

However, the cover was downgraded to Z+ security, to be provided by CRPF personnel, last November.

Priyanka has until 1 August to vacate the premises, and she had invited Baluni for tea while she was still at the house.  

However, Baluni wrote a letter to Priyanka Gandhi Monday where he thanked her for inviting him, but pointed out that he had been advised home isolation after undergoing cancer treatment. 

“Thank you for inviting me. After shifting to 35 Lodhi Road, I will invite you along with your family for a meal where you will be able to relish traditional food of Uttarakhand such as manduwe ki roti, jhangore ki kheer, pahadi raita, bhatt ki churkani. Thank you once again for inviting me,” says Baluni in the letter sent to Priyanka Vadra, which has been accessed by ThePrint. 

According to sources, Baluni will specify a date soon after moving to his new residence in Lutyens’ Delhi. 

‘Wish him happiness’

Priyanka is in the process of vacating her 35 Lodhi Estate home, in keeping with a 1 July notice issued by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. 

Earlier Monday, Priyanka Vadra tweeted that she had had a conversation with Baluni and wished him happiness in the home.  

“Spoke to Mr Baluni and his wife today. I pray to God for his good health and happiness. I wish him well for the new home, and pray that he experiences as much happiness in this home as my family and I did,” she wrote.