Rahul Gandhi returns to India from his personal visit abroad

Former Congress president and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi returned back to India on Sunday night from his personal visit abroad, informed party sources on Monday.

According to party sources, he has taken charge immediately after his arrival in the national capital and a meeting was lined up to discuss the political situation in Goa where voting for assembly polls is scheduled to be held on February 14.

The Congress leader held a meeting today evening on the subject with General Secretary KC Venugopal and Senior Observer of AICC for Goa P Chidambaram through video conferencing and took stock of the poll preparedness and campaign strategy in the state.

"Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reached Delhi yesterday night. He held a meeting with party leader KC Venugopal and P Chidambaram regarding the Goa Assembly elections today evening," sources said.

Earlier, a meeting of Rahul Gandhi was planned in Goa on January 16 which was postponed by the party due to rising COVID-19 cases.

The Wayanad MP had gone abroad in the last week of December. Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala had earlier said that Rahul Gandhi is on "a brief personal visit".

"He has gone on a personal visit abroad and will be back shortly and at the same time he took on BJP and asked them not to spread rumours about it," Surjewala told ANI.

His visit came when electoral preparations in five poll-bound states are in full swing and Congress has a crucial test not only in terms of its ability to contain the BJP but also for the space as the main challenger to the ruling party at the Centre.

The Assembly elections in Goa are scheduled to be held on February 14. The counting of votes in all states will take place on March 10.

The poll dates were announced by Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra at a press conference in Delhi on Saturday. With the announcement of poll dates, the model code of conduct has come into force.

(ANI)