Rahul Gandhi seeks leave from Cong to reflect on 'recent events'

Ahead of the crucial AICC session expected in April, party vice-president Rahul Gandhi has desired to reflect upon "recent events" and the future course of the party. Party sources said Sunday night he has "requested Congress president Sonia Gandhi for some time to reflect on recent events and future course of the party".

Ahead of the crucial AICC session expected in April, party vice-president Rahul Gandhi has desired to reflect upon "recent events" and the future course of the party.

Party sources said Sunday night he has "requested Congress president Sonia Gandhi for some time to reflect on recent events and future course of the party".

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He believes that the direction that the party adopts at the upcoming AICC session will be of crucial importance for its future and he wishes to prepare for it, the sources said.

"Rahul Gandhi has been granted leave of absence for 'aap chintan, aap manthan' (introspection)," a party leader said.

"He will not be in Delhi until the end of this week to attend the presentation of the budget," he said.

However, the entire duration of absence is not known, another source added.

The Congress has been performing badly at the hustings, which started with the Lok Sabha elections last year and continued in the assembly elections in various states including Delhi recently.

The debacle in Delhi, where Congress failed to get even one seat in the 70-member House, was more stunning as the party had ruled the state for 15 years till December 2013.

The AICC session is expected in early April and media reports have suggested that Rahul could be made the party chief on that occasion.