SONIA, RAHUL TO VISIT U.S. FOR HER CHECK-UP, WILL MISS START OF PARLIAMENT

NEW DELHI: Congress president Sonia Gandhi, accompanied by her son and Congress MP, Rahul Gandhi, left for abroad on Saturday for a routine health check-up, party’s chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said.

While Sonia Gandhi is expected to miss much of the 18-day monsoon session of Parliament — which begins on Monday — due to her visit to the US, Rahul Gandhi is expected to miss a few days at the least, according to a leader who did not want to be named.

“Congress President, Smt. Sonia Gandhi is travelling today onwards for a routine follow up & medical check-up, which was deferred due to the pandemic. She is accompanied by Sh. Rahul Gandhi. We take this opportunity to thank everyone for their concern & good wishes,” Surjewala said in a tweet.

The Congress functionary, who requested anonymity, said Rahul Gandhi will return in a few days in order to attend the monsoon session, and that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will then join her mother.

Sonia Gandhi on Friday carried out major organisational changes, reconstituted the Congress Working Committee (CWC) and her team of office bearers, and also formed a special panel to help her in organisational and operational matters till the next session of the All India Congress Committee, to be held within six months.

She also chaired a meeting of the party’s parliament strategy group on Tuesday. It was decided that the Congress will raise the issues of India-China standoff, the Covid-19 situation across the country, the impact of lockdowns, the economy, GST compensation to states, job losses, agrarian distress and restoration of Question Hour.