Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi arrived in Leh on August 17 to a rousing welcome. On August 18, he interacted with youngsters in Leh and also attended a football match. On August 22, he reached Lamayuru, known for its ancient monastery and incredible landscape, while riding a motorcycle from Leh town.
This is Rahul Gandhi's first visit to Ladakh since Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into two Union Territories, Ladakh and J&K, following the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35 (A) on August 5, 2019. In January, the Congress leader had visited Jammu and Srinagar during his Bharat Jodo Yatra. “In many ways, this Ladakh Yatra is a continuation of the Bharat Jodo Yatra,” said Congress chief spokesman Jairam Ramesh.
On Sunday, he paid tribute to his late father and former PM Rajiv Gandhi on his birth anniversary at the Pangong Lake. “On our way to Pangong Lake, which my father used to say, is one of the most beautiful places in the world,” Rahul Gandhi said while sharing pictures from his bike ride on his Instagram account.
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Rahul Gandhi returned to Leh from Nubra valley on his bike on Monday, August 21, and was given a warm welcome by people in the main market in the evening. From Lamayuru, he will ride to Zanskar, a tehsil of Kargil district on August 23. On August 24, Gandhi will be in Kargil town.
In the pictures, Rahul Gandhi is seen riding a KTM 390 Adventure while dressed in full biking gear including a helmet, gloves, riding boots, and a jacket. He is also expected to participate in the meeting of the 30-member Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC)-Kargil elections on August 25.
During his visit to the Karol Bagh bike market in Delhi earlier this year, Rahul Gandhi had mentioned that he owns a KTM 390 bike but he hardly rides it in the city due to security concerns.
The 390 Adventure is powered by a 373cc, single-cylinder, 4-stroke, liquid-cooled engine that pumps out 43 horsepower and 37 Nm of torque. One of the key features of the 390 Adventure is its advanced electronic rider aids.
KTM 390 Adventure is available in 2 variants and 3 colours in India. The KTM 390 Adventure price starts at Rs 3,39,250 in India while the top variant’s price starts from Rs 3,61,378. It was launched in India in late 2019.
Key features of the KTM 390 Adventure include its advanced electronic rider aids. It's equipped with lean-sensitive traction control, cornering ABS, and an off-road mode that allows for some rear-wheel slip. The KTM 390 Adventure also features a full-colour TFT display with smartphone connectivity allowing for call and music control. The braking system on this bike includes a 320mm disc at the front and a 230mm disc at the rear .There's also switchable ABS for those who prefer to slide their back end when they're riding on the dirt.