Agencies\New Delhi

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi returned yesterday from a mysterious eight-week break in an undisclosed location that had prompted ridicule and questions from colleagues about his fitness to lead the opposition party back to power.
India’s excitable news channels went into overdrive on news Gandhi had returned. Television footage showed a convoy of black SUVs driving to Rahul’s house in the exclusive leafy heart of New Delhi, purportedly carrying the scion of the Gandhi family dynasty.
Reporters set up camp outside the house to try to catch a glimpse of the 44-year-old. CNN-IBN reported Gandhi, whose father, grandmother and great-grandfather were all prime ministers, returned from a sojourn in Myanmar where he was staying at a “famous meditation retreat.”
A few supporters let off firecrackers outside the Congress head office, but the celebrations were overshadowed by an outpouring of biting satire on Twitter, where #RahulReturns was India’s top trend.
Gandhi’s father and grandmother were both assassinated, and Congress cites safety as a reason for being coy about his movements.
However, during the trip that began in February, he travelled without his usual elite security detail, a home ministry official said.
Several media outlets reported he spent his leave in southeast Asia.
Gandhi has long been expected to take control of the party when his mother retires as its president, but the lengthy, unexplained break tested the patience of loyal aides.
His absence during a key parliament session, when Congress was attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi over land policy, annoyed aides already angry after he led the party to its worst ever defeat in last year’s general election.
The party became the butt of jokes and cartoons with “missing” posters put up in Gandhi’s constituency Amethi in Uttar Pradesh state.
One cartoon with a headline “missing” said in Hindi, “Dear Rahul please come home. Your mother cries all the time ... your sister has gone all quiet and depressed ... No one will scold you, a grief-stricken Congress Party.”
“It is now for his mother to decide if the son should lead the party, but it is clear that many Congress members don’t want him to be the leader,” said a Congress leader waiting at Gandhi’s housed, who declined to be identified because the matter is sensitive.
So far the grumbling has not developed into open revolt against the family, with many leaders voicing loyalty to matriarch Sonia Gandhi, and others urging a more prominent role for Rahul’s more charismatic sister, Priyanka.
According to Congress officials, Gandhi took a break to “reflect” on the future course of the party which has suffered a string of defeats since its humiliating loss in last year’s national polls.
Gandhi has been heavily criticised for his lacklustre leadership as number two in Congress.
But the party has dismissed speculation that he would quit politics altogether or take over from his mother as Congress president.
Veteran Congress leader Madhusudan Mistry said Gandhi would address a rally of hundreds of farmers in Delhi on Sunday against Modi’s reform of land purchasing rules.
“It is natural for cadres to feel energised at his return as he is our leader,” Mistry said.
Rahul has the reputation of a reluctant leader who maintains a low profile in and outside parliament.
His refusal of the political spotlight has frustrated colleagues, but few in the party have been willing to criticise him publicly.
Gandhi and his family are protected by a security cover of the elite Special Protection Group (SPG), but in February he made a request to travel without the guards which was approved by the government, a senior home ministry official said.  
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party took a dig at Gandhi.
“There is nothing called as part-time politics, it’s a complete full-time job,” BJP spokesman Sambit Patra said.
“You just cannot shy away from your duties that you have promised to deliver,” he added.