New Delhi, April 16: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi Thursday returned home from his 56-day unexplained sabbatical which had raised questions over his leadership of a party that is struggling to find its feet after a string of electoral defeats.
The 44-year-old leader arrived here at 11.15am by a Thai Airways plane from Bangkok, ending days of intense speculation over his return and amidst celebrations by some party workers who burst crackers outside his residence. Wearing a dark shirt and seated in the back seat of his vehicle, Rahul arrived escorted by his SPG?security personnel and drove straight into the house without interacting with the waiting media. The return of the senior party leader comes ahead of the party’s planned farmers’ rally here on the contentious Land Bill issue which he is likely to address along with other party leaders Sunday.
The plane, which was scheduled to land at 10.35am, was delayed by 40 minutes. Shortly thereafter, Rahul drove to his 12, Tughlaq Lane residence where his mother and Congress President Sonia Gandhi and sister Priyanka were waiting.
Rahul had left quietly before the Parliament’s Budget session began February 23 but it is still not known where he had spent the nearly two months.PTI
