Rahul to participate in Gudalur school event on Jan 13

Chennai: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to attend the golden jubilee celebrations of St Thomas English High School in Gudalur in the Nilgiris on Jan 13. Sources said he has no political agenda scheduled besides a reception hosted by Congress functionaries at the helipad.Rahul last visited Gudalur during his Bharat Jodo Yatra in Sept 2022, where he addressed a gathering of supporters, praising the beauty of the scenic town in the Western Ghats. He stayed at a private school overnight before leaving for Karnataka. "Rahul will arrive in a chopper from Mysuru at 3.30 pm. He will attend the event at the school and leave at 4.30 pm. As far as we know, the leader has no political events or meetings," said a Congress functionary. Rev Dr Mathews Mar Makarios Episcopa, Metropolitan of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, is expected to participate in the golden jubilee celebrations of the school. Rahul Gandhi's visit comes amidst political tension in DMK-Congress alliance with some Congress functionaries and elected representatives publicly seeking share in power and criticising BJP over the censorship controversy linked to Vijay's latest film "Jana Nayagan". According to sources, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi are likely to meet the TNCC president, former presidents and the elected representatives from Tamil Nadu in Delhi on Jan 18 to discuss poll preparedness. "The meeting was originally scheduled on Jan 14. The proposed meeting is in line with the tradition of meeting representatives of poll-bound states in Delhi," said a senior leader.