New Delhi: Barely three weeks after the Congress received a drubbing in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, party chief Rahul Gandhi flew out to London on a week-long trip Tuesday. He left a day before spokesperson Randeep Surjewala quashed rumours of the party chief’s resignation.
A senior party functionary, who did not wish to be named, said Gandhi left soon after his meeting with senior Punjab Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu. He is expected to return to India on June 17 for the monsoon session of Parliament.
Before leaving for London, Gandhi had taken a short trip to Wayanad over the weekend to thank people for electing him with a massive mandate.
Also read: After weeks of speculation, Congress clears the air — Rahul Gandhi will remain party chief
Escape to UK?
Uncertainty loomed large over Gandhi’s offer to quit as Congress president, days after the party’s embarrassing defeat in the general elections. The party won 52 seats, only eight more than its 2014 tally. The number also falls two short of securing the post of leader of opposition.
“He did not want to meet anyone before leaving,” the senior Congress leader said, adding how the Congress chief had “expressly conveyed” his wish to not discuss the matter of his resignation in the last Congress Working Committee meeting.
In the weeks since, the party has continuously tried to convince Gandhi to reconsider his decision. Seniors leaders also kept trying to seek an audience with him to convince him of the same.
“Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot was in Delhi for nearly four days to meet Gandhi but in vain,” the senior leader said.
“Perhaps he just wanted to escape all of this and left for London,” he added.
Gandhi has faced flak in the past for taking frequent foreign trips at crucial junctures, stalling decision- making process in the party.
Putting speculation to rest, Surjewala had Wednesday said, “Rahul is, was and will remain party president”, after an informal meeting of leaders held under the “guidance” of senior party leader A.K. Antony.
Also read: Nurse Rahul Gandhi met in Wayanad was present at his birth, but viral tweet calls it ‘scam’
English Raj Return – Now coming at a theatre near you. Genre Comedy. Story line is Rahul baba has gone to london to find kaun banega pradhanmantri.
Rajiv baba went there and found Sonia. Now Rahul baba will find a bahu and one day she too will rule india like previous rulers.
The “Usual”. Maloom nah ? Can anyone hereafter trust him to tackle and solve India’s problems, when he cannot even manage the Congress party, even with all of them bowing and scraping before him.? ( and the opposition too, which was very friendly to him, but stands utterly disillusioned by him now)
Unfortunately Rahul is not a dyed in the wool politician. He doesn’t have political instinct. He must accept the blame for the electoral fiasco, and stand by his decision to quit the party’s presidentship. The sooner a replacement is found the better for the party, and by default, for the country.
Pappu will appear for the Indo / Pak cricket match, to be with Indian players thru Sidhu to remind he exists. As he failed to succeed against Modi, he can try skydiving.
Rahul is an Imitating Monkey. He will do exactly what Modi do. When Modi is on foreign trips, why Rahul Gandhi will lag behind. So he too decided to go to some foreign country. The trip to London will give much need respite from the political and weather heat of Delhi.
Next stop Thailand
A question to all those who post comments in favour of the ‘love, hug, wink’ politics of this ‘great’ cub of a ‘great’ tigress: how many people had access to clean drinking water, high class medical facility or decent roads in the time period this dynast was their MP, let alone being able to afford a trip to London, or even a decent domestic holiday?
I fail to understand why media is shying away from discussing the tedious issues for the Khongress party leaders/followers if RaGa steps down from the Presidentship…. (1) Khongress party coffers which are under the tight control of Gandhi Pariwar only will disable the outsider President to function as his writ won’t run large over its other leaders who are themselves Party Presidents in their own way in the absence of Gandhis…. (2) Why being a Grand Old Party and ruled for last more than 55 years, Khongress could not construct its HQ in Delhi…. Where all the Khongress Party money going…. Everyone minted money for its own pockets during its 10 long years of UPA rule especially PC without contributing to party coffers…. The media is fearful of criticising Khongress and Gandhis for its follies during its rule in India …. That’s why the media is called Selective Lutyens Leftist media….
You need to be with your people when things are not doing well. He is frequently disappears when his party needs him most. Why should the public take him seriously?
Why should he return to India? Let him stay in UK itself. He’s more of a liability in India
A visit to Amethi and Rae Bareilly would also be a good idea.