Rahul's pictures have only added to the completely mystifying hysteria over where the Congress vice president has gone, prompting of all things, a police hunt in Uttarakhand.

What started out as a joke has rapidly transformed into the ridiculous.

When it was first announced that Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi had sought a 'leave of absence', it was fodder for social media humour and nothing more. #WhereIsRahul became a top trend on Twitter, everyone laughed, and we would have all moved on, but for one Jagdish Sharma, who claimed that Rahul was camping in the hills of Uttarakhand and released pictures to prove it:

Sharma is reportedly a close aide of Rahul's brother-in-law, Robert Vadra.

His pictures have only added to the completely mystifying hysteria over where the Congress vice president has gone, prompting of all things, a police hunt in Uttarakhand.

According to the Times of India, "The hill state's police and local Congress unit went in to a tizzy over the presence of an Special Protection Group protectee without their knowledge."

The report added that "Braving the chill and heavy rains lashing the area, scores of policemen swung into action to collect information on the possible presence of the Gandhi scion in the district. “We checked out all our sources but nothing was found which could confirm Rahul's visit to the area,“ Uttarkashi SP Jagat Ram Joshi said.

The Uttarakhand Congress unit has completely denied that Rahul is in the state, saying that the images are from a trip that he had taken in 2008.

Meanwhile the ridicule over the sudden 'leave of absence' is only growing.

Taking off from all the humour on Twitter perhaps, DNA reported that the BJP in Allahabad have put up posters declaring a big reward for anyone giving information about the junior Gandhi's whereabouts. "Congress ke senapati laa-pata," reads the legend on these posters. (Leader of Congress missing)

"The poster, said to be the handiwork of local BJP leaders, carries a big photo of Rahul Gandhi and that of a BJP leader", the report added.

In Parliament, the BJP has been unable to resist making a few cracks on the issue either, with even Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu talking about the need for 'reflection'

This video, speculating why Rahul went on leave, meanwhile is also making waves on social media.

The Congress Vice President's absence during the Budget Session where the Land Acquisition Bill will be debated is being seen by some as Gandhi putting his foot down against the party's old guard. Gandhi had only said he wanted leave to reflect on recent events and the Congress party's future and as we've pointed out earlier, the manner in which he has departed hints at something deeper than an objection to the party's old guard.