New Delhi: Buoyed over Rahul Gandhi’s nationwide yatra, the Congress has planned the Europe route to rebrand the former party as a leader of an international stature. According to party insiders, soon after the plenary session, to be held at Chhattisgarh’s Naya Raipur from February 24 to 26, the former party chief is likely to fly abroad on February 28 to Europe where he is expected to spend the next week attending talk sessions, have interactions with diaspora groups, and address a public rally.
During the plenary, a mega conclave that will set the tone for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress is expected to project Rahul’s leadership and recount how successful his 4,000 km nationwide Bharat Jodo yatra had been. According to party insiders, Rahul’s coming visit is likely to start from Cambridge University in London where he is expected to attend an alumni function, deliver a lecture, and hold small interactions with the academics.
Fireworks are not ruled out in India as Rahul is most likely to touch upon sensitive issues like the India-China border row and alleged domestic social disharmony, the main reason behind his Kanyakumari to Kashmir yatra, besides geopolitics, international relations, big data, and democracy. According to party insiders, after Cambridge University, Rahul is likely to visit the offices of the European Union in Brussels where he would interact with influential figures.
The former party chief is also likely to visit the Netherlands, where he may address a diaspora convention. The Indian Overseas Congress, the foreign arm of the party, has been preparing the ground for the visit under the guidance of chairman Sam Pitroda and is working overtime to make the trip a success. Pitroda, a close aide of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, is expected to accompany Rahul, along with a few senior leaders like Milind Deora.
If all goes well, there may be a public rally where Rahul would address the NRIs and express his views on the policies of the Modi government. The upcoming foreign trip is on the lines of one Rahul had undertaken in May last year when his views on domestic politics had riled the ruling BJP and invited sharp reactions from the Centre, which had alleged that the Congress leader criticised the government on foreign soil.
According to former union minister MM Pallam Raju, being critical of the government on some issues and pointing at its mistakes is the role of a constructive opposition. “It is unfortunate…There are many issues that the government is simply brushing under the carpet. They don’t allow debates in Parliament. This is not good for democracy,” Raju told ETV Bharat.
“Rahulji’s visit is taking place at a time when a person of Indian origin Rishi Sunak has taken over as the Prime Minister of the UK. The visit will augur well for the two countries. Rahul ji is going to his alma mater. He has been expressing his views on international relations in the past,” he added.
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