New Delhi:In an unexpected turn of events, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s anticipated South East Asia tour, slated to commence from Friday, has been canceled, according to reliable sources within the party.
The proposed itinerary included visits to Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam. The decision to scrap the tour comes in the aftermath of the Congress party’s recent setbacks in state Assembly elections, where they lost in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh to the BJP. The BJP secured a decisive victory in all three states.
The cancellation raises questions, especially in light of internal discussions within the party and among alliance partners within the INDIA bloc. Some party insiders had reportedly questioned the timing of Rahul Gandhi’s tour, suggesting that his presence would have been better utilized assisting Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, especially with the commencement of the Winter Session of Parliament on December 4, a day after the election results were announced.
Rahul Gandhi, prior to the abrupt cancellation, was in Hyderabad for the swearing-in ceremony of Congress leader Revanth Reddy as the Chief Minister of Telangana.