Ahead of crucial assembly polls, Rahul leaves India; Cong says 'will be back when needed'

New Delhi, Oct 06: Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi reportedly left India for a visit abroad. According to reports, Gandhi is visiting Combodia to take part in a mediation camp.

Earlier, Gandhi was reported to have taken a flight from Delhi to Bangkok. Later reports added that Gandhi's ultimate destination was Combodia.

His visit comes at a time when crucial assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana are scheduled for October 21.

The Congress is presently facing tough challenge to contain dissidence within its ranks. Social media was abuzz with many questioning the timing of his visit. Some even hinted that it showed that te former Congress president was not interested in politics.

Congress, however, has come to Rahul Gandhi's rescue and played down the whole issue. It said that Rahul Gandhi will be back to campaign for the assembly polls when needed. Rahul Gandhi was named among the star capaigners for Maharashtra and Haryana assembly elections.

Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi took to twitter and urged all to not mix up an individual's personal life with professional life.

Taking to Twitter, he wrote,"The personal should not be mixed with the public life of an individual. We need to entitle everybody an eternal sense of liberty and privacy. After all, this is the basic and outlining principle of a progressive and liberal democracy. #RahulGandhi #Bangkok.''

Maharashtra and Haryana will go to polls on October 21 and the counting of votes will take place on October 24.