Rahul to be away in Europe for 'few days'

Rahul Gandhi, whose foreign trips in the past have led to intense speculation, took to Twitter to announce this.

"I will be traveling to Europe for a few days. A very Happy New Year to everyone," he said.

"Hope the new year brings much joy and happiness to you and everyone close to you!," he wished.

Gandhi had been out of the country during New Year on some occasions in the past as well.

His last two trips abroad were much talked about. His around two-month sabbatical after an AICC session in February this year to reflect upon the party's debacle in Delhi elections and deliberate on a future course for Congress had led to BJP taking potshots at him.

There was a political controversy even over his September visit to Aspen, US to attend a conference.

This is the first time that Gandhi has taken to Twitter to make public his plan to travel abroad.

The party has not assigned any reason for his visit.

When the BJP raised questions about the Congress claim of Gandhi attending the conference in Aspen, the Congress vice president's office had uploaded photographs of the same on Twitter to counter the attack.