Question listed but MP missing, Lok Sabha Speaker notes Rahul Gandhi's absence

On Tuesday, Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla took notice of former Congress president and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi’s absence from the House. Birla stated that he wanted to give Gandhi a chance to speak as his question was listed for Question Hour. Thereafter, he asked Congress MP K Suresh to move to his designated seat. Listed against the name of Gandhi, Question 28 pertained to the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana for Kerala.  

Birla opined, "His (Rahul Gandhi's) question was listed for the Question Hour and I wanted to give him a chance had he been present.” 

Read: Sonia Gandhi Has To Be Full-fledged Congress Chief, Rahul Not Willing: Moily

Meditational visit

The Congress communications-in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala had announced on October 30 that Rahul Gandhi had gone abroad on a 'meditational visit'. He added that Gandhi undertook such trips from time-to-time. Furthermore, Surjewala informed the media that the former Congress president would not be a part of the party’s planned protests.  

Read: Sonia Relents, Sends Top Aides To Meet Pawar Amid NCP-Cong Blamegame

Read: GONE AGAIN: Rahul Gandhi On 'meditation Visit', Will Skip Cong Protest

Rahul Gandhi stays away from key meetings

Fissures have been reported in the Congress party since its longest-serving president Sonia Gandhi’s son Rahul Gandhi assumed charge in December 2017. A series of defeats in state elections combined with the disastrous performance of Congress in the 2019 General elections led to Rahul Gandhi announcing his decision to step down. After attempts to persuade him to take back his resignation failed, Sonia Gandhi assumed interim charge in August. This was followed by two developments. First, Rahul Gandhi has stayed away from many important meetings, including the candidate selection for the recently held Assembly elections and bypolls in several states. The other change has been that his mother has reversed key decisions taken by him such as replacing Ashok Tanwar with Bhupinder Singh Hooda in Haryana. 

Read: BJP Yuva Morcha Burns Rahul Gandhi's Effigy In Front Of Bengal Cong HQ