Rahul Gandhi's pet dog Pidi became an internet sensation after he was introduced in 2017.

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, who continues to elude leaders after his decision to step down as party president, was seen driving out of his Tughlak Lane house in Delhi, in a widely circulated picture.

Accompanying him in the car was his pet dog 'Pidi', who had become an internet sensation after Mr Gandhi introduced Pidi in a tweet in 2017.

Mr Gandhi has been adamant on resigning as the Congress president after his party's crushing defeat in the Lok Sabha elections and has been avoiding public appearances ever since he conveyed his decision at a Congress Working Committee meeting.

In the photograph, Mr Gandhi and Pidi appear to be looking in the direction of the camera as if they were posing.

Pidi gained massive fame in 2017 when Mr Gandhi posted a video featuring the dog, claiming that "he" was the one tweeting from his Twitter account, a sarcastic comeback to detractors who suggested that someone else had been tweeting for Mr Gandhi.

Ppl been asking who tweets for this guy..I'm coming clean..it's me..Pidi..I'm way than him. Look what I can do with a tweet..oops..treat! pic.twitter.com/fkQwye94a5 — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 29, 2017

The Congress managed to win only 52 seats as the BJP swept the national elections.

A string of Congress leaders have been in and out of Rahul Gandhi's residence, hoping to meet and dissuade him, but have had no luck so far. Senior party leader Shila Dikshit was the latest to reach Rahul Gandhi's doorstep, but had to return after dropping a message that he should not resign.

RJD leader Lalu Yadav and DMK chief MK Stalin, Congress allies, have also urged Mr Gandhi to reconsider his resignation.

Mr Gandhi reportedly made it clear to Congress leaders that he would not "vanish" and would continue to work for the party, but he would not budge from his decision. "It is not necessary that the president should be from Gandhi family," sources quoted him as saying.

(From inputs from IANS)