The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken aim at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his reported visit to Vietnam, using the trip to question his role in the Opposition’s campaign against alleged irregularities in electoral rolls.

In a post on X on Monday, the BJP shared a video that it claimed showed the Leader of the Opposition travelling in a business-class cabin. The party accompanied the clip with a sarcastic remark suggesting Gandhi was taking a break after allegedly spreading misinformation.

“I'm tired of spreading lies... Let me go roam around Vietnam for a few days... Who would even find out!” the BJP wrote.

The video shows a man in a blue T-shirt wearing AirPods, who appears to resemble Gandhi. A fellow passenger can be heard identifying the man as the Congress leader. However, the footage does not independently establish the passenger’s identity or confirm his destination.

According to The Indian Express, citing Congress leaders, Gandhi has taken a four-day personal trip abroad and is learnt to have travelled to Vietnam.

Congress Defends Gandhi’s Personal Travel

The Congress dismissed the BJP’s criticism, maintaining that Gandhi is entitled to take time off for personal travel alongside his political responsibilities.

Sandeep Dikshit, chairperson of Rachnatmak Congress, told news agency ANI that Gandhi had a personal life and often used overseas visits to engage with academics and intellectuals.

“He always does something that benefits the country,” Dikshit said, citing Gandhi’s reported interactions with students at Yale University and other intellectuals during previous visits.

Dikshit also questioned the BJP’s criticism of Gandhi, contrasting the Congress leader’s interactions with the media with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s approach.

Trip Follows Goa March, Opposition Campaign on SIR

Gandhi’s reported overseas visit comes after he participated in the Congress’s Goy Rakhon Yatra, or Save Goa March, in the poll-bound state. He walked alongside party leaders during the march, covering around two kilometres. Goa is scheduled to hold Assembly elections next year.

The BJP’s attack also comes against the backdrop of continuing Opposition protests over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and allegations of electoral malpractice. Congress and other INDIA bloc parties have demanded accountability from Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over their concerns about the revision exercise.

On October 12, Opposition leaders held a ‘March for Democracy’ towards the Supreme Court and submitted a petition concerning the SIR process. The demonstration was part of a broader campaign against alleged irregularities in the electoral revision exercise.

The BJP’s latest post has added a political dimension to Gandhi’s reported personal trip, with the ruling party questioning his absence while the Opposition continues its campaign against the Election Commission. The Congress, however, has maintained that his personal travel is separate from his political responsibilities.