Rahul Gandhi Diwali gathering brings Congress leaders together in Delhi

The Rahul Gandhi Diwali gathering in New Delhi on Friday brought more than 100 senior Congress leaders to his residence for a tea party. Party figures described the occasion as an opportunity to exchange festive wishes and spend time together.

Attendees included general secretaries, state in-charges and members of the Congress Working Committee. According to people familiar with the event, discussions did not cover political issues or plans for the party's next steps.

Gandhi moved between tables to meet those present and offer greetings ahead of Diwali. One leader said the gathering allowed colleagues to strengthen their bonds and express a sense of solidarity.

Senior party figures attend the tea party

Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were among those at the Rahul Gandhi Diwali event. General secretaries Jairam Ramesh, Sachin Pilot and Kumari Selja also attended.

Among the serving state leaders were D K Shivakumar, Karnataka's deputy chief minister, and Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who heads the Himachal Pradesh government. Digvijaya Singh and Harish Rawat attended alongside other former chief ministers, including Ashok Gehlot, Bhupesh Baghel and Bhupender Singh Hooda.

The guest list also included leaders handling the party's work in states approaching elections. Their attendance brought national office-bearers and figures from different state units together at the same venue.

Speaking afterwards, Pilot said political discussion had not been part of the tea party's agenda. Congress media and publicity department head Pawan Khera similarly described the occasion as the party family meeting during a festival.

The event took place while Congress was continuing its campaign over alleged electoral irregularities. Those allegations formed the broader political backdrop, but participants said the meeting itself was a social occasion focused on exchanging greetings rather than discussing the campaign.

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