Rehan Rahul Vadra created a stir earlier this week when he arrived in uncle Rahul Gandhi’s parliamentary constituency Amethi for a surprise visit, shared a meal with villagers — and even spent a night under the stars there.
It triggered off speculation on whether this was part of the political initiation of Priyanka Vadra’s 14-year-old son (he turns 15 next month), a student at Doon School. The visit came just months ahead of Mr. Gandhi’s anticipated ascension as Congress president.
Congress sources in Delhi were not forthcoming on the reason for the visit, stressing that it had nothing to do with politics. They said it was probably part of a school project that involved familiarisation with a rural area; Rehan was accompanied by some school friends.
Party sources in Uttar Pradesh sought to downplay it even further saying that this was not the first time Rehan had spent time in Amethi, unaccompanied by parents.
As a teenager, Mr. Rahul Gandhi used to occasionally accompany his father Rajiv Gandhi on his political trips and had even seen his father’s last election campaign in 1991.
Party sources said Rehan arrived in Amethi, along with his friends, by car on Tuesday and stayed overnight in the high-profile constituency. Accompanied by Nilesh Jain and K.S. Yadav of the Rajiv Gandhi Mahila Vikas Project, he and his friends went to the home of Ram Kripal Pandey of Kauhar in Gauriganj.
Reports from Amethi say that like the more distinguished members of his family, the teenager met villagers, spoke to them about different issues, and asked them about their lives. He ate a simple vegetarian meal at a villager’s house sitting on wooden cots and slept in the open on beds protected by mosquito nets.
Later, Rehan and his friends went to the guest house attached to the Sanjay Gandhi Hospital at Munshiganj and also met people there.
