Congress MPs To Meet Today As Rahul Gandhi Challenges Defamation Conviction

The Congress party has called for a meeting of its Members of Parliament (MPs) from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on Monday at 10:30 am in Congress parliamentary party office to chalk out a strategy for the day.

The party MPs have been asked to wear black clothes during the meeting. All MPs meeting will be held on the day of Rahul Gandhi's appearance in Surat court.

The disqualified MP will appear in Surat court to appeal against his conviction in a defamation case.

Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi met his mother Sonia Gandhi at a hotel in the national capital for more than 1.5 hours. He was accompanied by his brother-in-law Robert Vadra.

Former MP from Wayanad Rahul Gandhi was sentenced to a two-year jail term in a criminal defamation case and subsequently lost his Lok Sabha membership.

The defamation case was filed against Rahul Gandhi by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi for saying "How come all thieves have the common surname Modi?"

Rahul Gandhi also faces another defamation case filed by former Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi for his 2019 remarks. A Patna court has reportedly directed the Congress leader to appear before it on April 12 in connection with the case.

After the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi's membership from the Lok Sabha, the Congress has been vocal in protests all over the country. The grand old party has been making an effort to rally like-minded Opposition players around it in the wake of Rahul's loss of membership from the Lower House.

Mr Gandhi's disqualification is the latest in a series of flashpoints between the Congress and the ruling BJP, with a united Opposition calling it a ploy to divert public attention from the Adani issue.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)