From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: Continuing with his discover India mission, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday took a motorbike to Pangong Lake in Ladakh where he will be celebrating his father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s birthday on Sunday, August 20.
Originally, the programme for Ladakh was for two days only. Gandhi’s change in his otherwise two-day tour came just weeks ahead of the polls for the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council-Kargil (LAHDC-Kargil), slated for September 10. He is arriving in Kargil, which is 200 km away from Leh, on August 24. He is likely to give impetus to the poll activities of his party cadre.
Party sources said National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah may also join Gandhi during the public rally on the morning of August 25.
“The Congress and the NC have decided to form an alliance for the LAHDC polls. We expect Abdullah to join and amplify the voices of secular forces here. The BJP remains the main opponent in Kargil and the two parties intend to keep the BJP at bay,” the Congress sources said.
Meanwhile in pictures, shared by Rahul Gandhi through his official Instagram handle, the Congress leader is seen riding a KTM 390 Adventure as other riders follow him. The MP is seen in full biking gear including a helmet, gloves, riding boots, and a jacket as he enjoys his ride through the picturesque mountains of Ladakh.
“On our way to Pangong lake, which my father used to say, is one of the most beautiful places in the world,” the caption read.
Rahul Gandhi also shared a few pictures from his ride on X, formerly known as Twitter, and wrote, “Upwards and onwards – Unstoppable!”
The KTM 390 Adventure is a 373 cc bike that can churn out a max power of 43 bhp and peak torque of 37 Nm. The adventure-tourer can reach a top speed of around 170 kmph.
Rahul Gandhi had earlier mentioned that he owns a “KTM 390” and that his security doesn’t allow him to ride it. Gandhi had shared a video of his interaction with “super mechanics” at Delhi’s Karol Bagh market where he was seen learning nuances of bike servicing
In the video, uploaded on Rahul Gandhi’s YouTube channel, the Congress leader shared that he has a KTM bike which is lying unused. “I have a KTM390 but it’s lying unused because my security people don’t let me use it,” he said.
Earlier this month, the Congress MP was seen dancing with members of the Toda tribal community in Muthunadu village near Ooty, in Tamil Nadu. A clip, shared by news agency ANI on Twitter, showed him wearing a traditional shawl and
