New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was absent from a crucial meeting of the party called by interim president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday here. Rahul remained at the core of party meetings since he assumed the charge of Congress president in 2017 from which he resigned following a series of electoral defeats. Congress general secretaries, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) presidents, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leaders were present in the meeting at party headquarters in the national capital.

When asked about the absence of Rahul Gandhi, former union minister RPN Singh had told reporters that he was not called because he doesn't fall in the criteria of leaders called for the meeting and Manmohan Singh was called as economic issues were to be discussed. It may be noted that Rahul does not hold any post except for being a Congress Working Committee (CWC) member. The meeting which he skipped was called to discuss preparations to mark 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the party's membership drive and training programme of the cadre.