Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who stepped down as party chief issuing an emotional letter on Twitter a day ago, will make a brief visit to Mumbai on Thursday to attend a hearing in a Metropolitan Court, city party chief Milind Deora said.

"He is expected to reach here shortly... His only engagement in Mumbai is the court hearing later this morning before he returns to New Delhi," Deora told IANS.

The Congress leader is an accused in a private defamation case filed by a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker for allegedly linking the RSS with the murder of Bengaluru journalist Gauri Lankesh in 2017.

The complainant, Dhrutiman Joshi had also filed similar complaints against senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and CPM leader Sitaram Yechury, which were later dismissed.

In his plea, Joshi had said that barely 24 hours after the Lankesh killing, Rahul Gandhi had allegedly blamed the RSS and its ideology for the murder.

This is the second petition filed by a RSS activist in Maharashtra against Rahul Gandhi.

Way back in 2014, a local functionary, Rajesh Kunte had filed a plea against him for allegedly blaming the RSS for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, which is pending in a Bhiwandi Court in Thane.

A large number of Congress activists led by Deora, former city chief Milind Deora and other leaders have gathered at Mumbai Airport to welcome Gandhi.