Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Thursday chaired the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting in Raebareli during his two-day visit to his parliamentary constituency.

The quarterly meeting, held at the collectorate auditorium, was attended by several public representatives including Amethi MP K. L. Sharma and Minister of State Dinesh Pratap Singh. However, the meeting saw a dramatic turn when Unchahar MLA Manoj Kumar Pandey walked out in protest.

Pandey, who was expelled from the Samajwadi Party earlier for allegedly working against the party and supporting the BJP in the Rajya Sabha elections, later told reporters that he had raised the issue of alleged derogatory remarks made against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mother in Bihar. He claimed to have submitted a written proposal urging all present, including the Leader of the Lok Sabha, to condemn the remarks.

The MLA also criticized Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of failing to address the shortage of ICU beds at AIIMS Raebareli and questioning his efforts for the constituency since becoming MP in 2024.

Pandey further challenged Gandhi to apologize to the nation for his allegations against the Election Commission and to list the development work done for Raebareli during his tenure.