'Sudden illness': Rahul Gandhi to miss INDIA bloc's Jharkhand rally, says Congress

The ex-Congress chief is “unable to leave New Delhi for the present,” said the party's Jairam Ramesh.

Published on: Apr 21, 2024, 15:01:39 IST

By HT News Desk, New Delhi

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Due to a “sudden illness,” Congress MP Rahul Gandhi will be forced to miss Sunday's INDIA bloc rally in Jharkhand's Ranchi, party leader Jairam Ramesh said.

Rahul Gandhi addresses the rally ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in Kolar district of Karnataka on Thursday. (PTI Photo)

Also Read: Sunita Kejriwal, Kalpana Soren top INDIA bloc leaders in Ranchi's Ulgulan Nyay rally today

However, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will attend the party-led opposition alliance's programme in the Jharkhand capital, Ramesh added.

“Shri Rahul Gandhi was all set to campaign today in Satna and Ranchi, where the INDIA bloc rally is being held. He took ill suddenly and is unable to leave New Delhi for the present. Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge is of course attending the Ranchi rally after addressing a public gathering in Satna,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Sunday's gathering is the multi-party coalition's second public programme, and has been dubbed as the “Ulgulan Nyay Rally.” It will take place at Ranchi's Prabhat Tara ground.

The INDIA bloc's first joint rally was held at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on March 31, ten days after the arrest of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, whose Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is a member of the alliance, by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the excise policy case.

Also Read: 'Arvind Kejriwal's sugar levels crossed 300', says Atishi as AAP stages ‘insulin’ protest outside Delhi's Tihar jail

Earlier, on January 31, the ED arrested then-Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, who resigned shortly before his arrest, in connection with a land scam case. Soren's Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) is hosting this second gathering of the opposition bloc.

The arrests of opposition leaders has emerged as a major flashpoint between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the INDIA parties ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, which kicked off on Friday. In the national polls, the voting for which will be held in total seven phases, the NDA and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are seeking a third consecutive term at the Centre.

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