Congress, BJP trade barbs over Rahul Gandhi's Nepal nightclub video

New Delhi, May 3

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s five-day Nepal trip that commenced on Monday became a subject of intense politicking with the BJP today tweeting a video of the former Congress president partying at a nightclub and the Congress hitting back asking if it was a crime to attend a wedding ceremony.

The developments came on a day when Union Minister Smriti Irani was in Wayanad to review welfare programmes under the government’s aspirational district plan.

With speculation rife on BJP’s plans in Wayanad amid Irani’s presence in the area, the BJP and Congress sparred over the Congress leader’s Nepal visit.

“Rahul has not gone as an uninvited guest like PM Narendra Modi had gone to Pakistan to celebrate the birthday of then Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif. Rahul has gone to a friendly country Nepal to participate in a private function of a friend,” Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said today.

Surjewala said, “Last I checked, having a family in this country, attending marriage ceremonies is a matter of our culture and civilisation. Maybe after today, the BJP may decide that it is illegal to attend a marriage.”

Surjewala was responding to BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya’s tweet of Rahul partying at a private nightclub in Nepal. “Rahul was at a nightclub when Mumbai (in 2008) was under siege. He is at a nightclub at a time when his party is exploding. He is consistent. Interestingly, soon after the Congress refused to outsource their presidency, hit jobs have begun on their Prime Ministerial candidate,” Malviya said. Union Minister Giriraj Singh also took a swipe at Rahul. Kathmandu newspapers have reported that Rahul was in Nepal to attend the wedding of his friend Sumnima Udas.

In Wayanad, Smriti flags shortcomings

• Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani visits Rahul Gandhi’s parliamentary segment Wayanad to review welfare programmes under the government’s aspirational district plan
• She said there was ‘much that has not been done’ in the district and the local administration has assured her that it would be addressed. She pointed out shortcomings like lack of water connections to 1.35 lakh households.