Disqualified as MP, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to handover official bungalow today

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who was disqualified as MP after conviction in a defamation case, moved out all his belongings from his official residence on Friday, with sources saying he will hand over the 12, Tughlaq Lane bungalow to the Lok Sabha secretariat on April 22.

The former Congress president was asked to vacate the premises by April 22 following his disqualification after the conviction and two-year sentence by a Surat court for his "Modi surname" remark.

The former Congress chief had on April 14 shifted his office and some personal belongings from the bungalow to his mother Sonia Gandhi's official residence.

Sources said Mr Gandhi moved out his remaining articles on Friday evening from the bungalow which was allotted to him as an MP. A truck was seen moving out of the building with his belongings. He has been living in the bungalow for nearly two decades.

After shifting his office, he started living with his mother and Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi at her 10, Janpath residence, the sources said.

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A Surat court on March 23 convicted Rahul Gandhi of defamation and gave him a two-year sentence, leading to his disqualification. He had challenged the magisterial court order in the sessions court in Surat which rejected his appeal to set aside the conviction which would have paved the way for his reinstatement as MP.

The party has said the sessions court order will be challenged in the Gujarat High Court next week. A day after his disqualification, the Lok Sabha Secretariat sent Gandhi a notice to vacate the premises by April 22.

Sources said Rahul Gandhi has been on a hunt for a space to set up his independent office. A few years ago, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was also asked to vacate her Lodhi Estate bungalow after her SPG security cover was removed. Rahul Gandhi first got elected as an MP from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh in 2004 and shifted his constituency to Wayanad in 2019.

(With inputs from PTI)