Rahul Gandhi rides bike to Ladakh's Pangong Lake to celebrate father Rajiv's birth anniversary

New Delhi, August 19: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi embarked on a motorcycle expedition to Ladakh's Pangong Lake on Saturday in honour of his late father, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, whose birth anniversary falls on August 20. 

Sharing his journey on Instagram, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi wrote, "En route to Pangong Lake, a place my father always described as one of the most exquisite spots in the world."

This is Rahul’s first visit to Ladakh since Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into two Union Territories, Ladakh and J-K, following the removal of Articles 370 and 35 (A) on August 5, 2019.

Rahul Gandhi reached Leh on Thursday to commence his planned two-day visit to the Union Territory, which has now been extended until August 25, as per party sources. On Friday, he engaged with local youth in Leh. He is also scheduled to watch a football match.

Additionally, Rahul Gandhi will attend the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC)-Kargil elections meeting on August 25, which comprises 30 members. For the upcoming Kargil council elections slated for September 10, the Congress and National Conference have formed a pre-poll alliance against the BJP.

While Rahul Gandhi visited Srinagar and Jammu earlier this year on two separate occasions, he did not visit Ladakh. In January, he undertook the Bharat Jodo Yatra, visiting Jammu and Srinagar. Subsequently, he made a personal trip to the Gulmarg ski resort in February.