Rahul Gandhi seeks time to reflect on 'recent events'

Goes on leave for few weeks ahead of AICC session in April

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 tonight said he has "requested Congress President Sonia Gandhi for some time to reflect on recent events and future course of the party".

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 has been "granted a leave of absence for a few weeks after which he will return and resume his active participation in the affairs of the Congress party", the sources added.

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.