Rahul Gandhi, the former president of the Congress, is scheduled to visit three nations between 8th December and 15th December. Gandhi has been currently actively campaigning in five states for the assembly elections.
According to the reports, Rahul Gandhi will visit Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia from 8th December to 15th December. He will meet with the Indian diaspora and also visit universities during his trip.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi likely to travel abroad on December 9. He will be visiting Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam. In Singapore and Malaysia, he will meet the Indian diaspora. In Indonesia, he will meet diplomats, he is also likely to meet Vietnam Communist Party… pic.twitter.com/L2sImlUk3o
— ANI (@ANI) November 28, 2023
Rahul Gandhi has visited many countries earlier this year, including Norway, the Netherlands, France, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Belgium, and held interaction programs with the Indian diaspora as well as interactive sessions with students at various universities.
Reports mention that the Indian Overseas Congress will coordinate all of the programs of the Congress MP from Kerala’s Wayanad. Rahul Gandhi has campaigned extensively for the ongoing assembly elections in 5 states, however, looks like he will leave India shortly after the results are announced for the same. In addition, he had visited the sacred shrine of Kedarnath earlier this month amid his campaign schedule across the five states.
It is notable here that Rahul Gandhi’s foreign visits are always shrouded in mystery. Besides political speculations, there is often little to no news about his foreign travels. The Congress scion has a history of going on vacations without informing the public during election season or at times when his party needs him the most.
Rahul Gandhi and his secret trips
In April 2022, after poll strategist Prashant Kishor had rejected Congress’ offer to join the party, and at that time, Rahul Gandhi had become untraceable. Reports mentioned that Gandhi went missing for over 10 days and had been unreachable, leaving the party to act alone in action during the crisis.
Earlier in December 2021, the Wayanad MP had gone for a personal trip to Italy ahead of the campaigns and rallies for the then-upcoming Assembly elections in five states scheduled for 2022. He had forced the party to postpone his already scheduled rally in Punjab and had flown to Italy for a ‘personal visit’.
Just before Diwali 2021, Rahul Gandhi vanished, reportedly to London. On November 5 of that year, it was reported that Gandhi was on a ‘long vacation’. He returned after almost a month, just before the winter session commenced in the Parliament. At that time, the BJP took a dig at Gandhi and questioned his trip to London.
In September 2021, while the Congress party in Punjab was facing a crisis with Amarinder Singh’s resignation, the Gandhi family was vacationing in Shimla. In December 2020, Rahul Gandhi left for Italy on the 136th foundation day of his party. His party leaders could not settle on one explanation and further made themselves a target of media questions.
In October 2019, fifteen days before the assembly elections in Haryana and Maharashtra, Gandhi had left, reportedly for Bangkok. In June of that year, before the counting of votes of the parliamentary elections, Rahul Gandhi skipped an important meeting held by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and flew to London for a holiday.
Notably, Gandhi has a history of spreading hate against the ruling government and India while on trips abroad. On his recent trip to the US, he could be seen targeting the current government and making anti-India statements.
