Rahul Gandhi, who skipped the farewell dinner hosted by Sonia Gandhi for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, raising political eyebrows, today returned to the capital from his foreign trip. Rahul is likely to speak to the media along with the Congress President tomorrow on the election results. Both Rahul and Sonia have addressed media jointly at AICC headquarters after the drubbing of Congress in Assembly polls in Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chattissgarh a few months back.
Amid reports that Congress plans to insulate Rahul from the blame for the party's widely predicted defeat, party general secretary Digvijay Singh said that no Congress leader including the party vice president has taken any shield in any circumstance. "We can take victory and defeat in the same spirit," he said. "Wait for tomorrow" was his repeated refrain when asked whether Rahul will take responsibility for whatever be the outcome of this Lok Sabha election results.
"He has never taken shelter against any adversity. Therefore I absolutely rule out that he will be hiding behind the screen," he said. Asked whether the results could put up a question mark on Rahul's leadership, Singh said, "Let the results come out. The party will do introspection. The party shall take a call. He (Rahul) is number 2 in the party. Congress President is the leader."
Rahul was conspicuous by his absence at the farewell dinner hosted by Sonia at here residence at 10, Janpath, giving ammunition to opposition parties who attacked him for "insulting" the Prime Minister, a charge which was stoutly denied by senior Congress leaders.
Congress leader Ajay Maken had yesterday said, "After three months of gruelling campaigning, Rahulji is out of town for two days. (He) will be back tomorrow. Rahul ji had already met the honourable prime minister on May 10 to personally thank him for his services and contribution rendered to the nation."
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