New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was absent from a dinner hosted by party Chief Sonia Gandhi for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as he was out of town.

Rahul met the PM last Saturday to thank him for the leadership he has provided the two UPA governments since 2004 and explained that he would not be in Delhi for the dinner hosted by Sonia.

Though there was no official comment from Congress on Rahul’s absence, his decision to be away from the Capital raises questions and criticism.