Sonia and Rahul may leave for UK on Saturday

New Delhi: Having officially quit his post as Congress president, taking responsibility for this year’s Lok Sabha defeat, Rahul Gandhi along with his mother Sonia Gandhi is likely to leave for London on Saturday.

Mr Gandhi and his mother are supposed to join his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and her husband Robert Vadra, who is understood to have undergone surgery there.

Mr Gandhi’s absence, if it happens, will be significant as a Congress Working Committee meeting is supposed to be called as soon as possible to select his successor. Though technically Mr Gandhi is not required to attend the CWC meeting, as a former president he could have overseen the succession plan.

However, he has made it clear many times that he will not be part of the process as it might indicate his involvement in the new Congress president’s selection.

Another interesting development was that shortly after releasing the letter, Mr Gandhi’s Twitter handle removed the “Congress President” and just made it Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP.

His Twitter profile now reads: “This is the official account of Rahul Gandhi, Member of the Indian National Congress”.

Congress leaders at various levels have been appealing to Mr Gandhi to take back his resignation, but he has been unrelenting. Some party workers are sitting on a dharna outside the AICC headquarters, asking him to remain president. There have also been several middle-rung leaders resigning their posts. Two days ago, the chief ministers of Congress-ruled states met Mr Gandhi in an effort to make him change his mind.