NEW DELHI: After lecturing at length, earlier this month, about the necessity for opposition unity to combat BJP hegemony, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi has decided to quietly scoot out of the ‘BJP Bhagao’ rally being organised by Lalu Prasad Yadav on Sunday.
“On the invitation of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will be travelling to Oslo for a few days. Looking forward to meeting and exchanging ideas with political and business leaders & research institutions,” the Gandhi scion claimed nonchalantly on Twitter. However, this is not the first time the ‘frequent flyer politician’ has prioritised international trips over the party’s appointments back home.
Gandhi faced severe criticism in June, when amid severe agrarian crisis in Madhya Pradesh and several other northern States he decided to fly to Italy to spend time with his grandmother. “...To take care of the well-being of elders is part of our culture,” party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala had said defending his visit.
He also quickly followed it up saying, “Rahul Gandhi will continue to lead and guide the ongoing farmers’ agitation.” The buzz in Delhi political circles is that Rahul chose the Norway trip to avoid being seen supporting the RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, who has been an ally for over a decade, as he is facing corruption charges.