A Lutyens’ Launch
The launch of Jay Panda’s book, Lutyens’ Maverick, in New Delhi had a star studded panel, with Cabinet Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, NCP leader Praful Patel, Congress leader Manish Tewari and Alka Lamba from AAP along with Panda himself on the panel. Interestingly, as they made their way to the dais, Prasad asked whether the discussion would be in Hindi or English. Hearing this, Praful Patel quipped that since the book was called Lutyens’ Maverick, then perhaps the discussion would be in English.
Ready Repartee
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s political debut has sparked much interest, especially in the media. One reason for this is that the 2019 elections have suddenly become all the more interesting because Priyanka is known not just for her easy, accessible campaigning style, but also for her witty, off the cuff remarks, And this is not new, even as a young girl, when she used to accompany her mother on her campaigns, Priyanka was much sought after. During a visit to Rae Bareli and Amethi in the late 1990s, Priyanka stopped en route to visit a temple. When she emerged, she was asked by the media whether she had prayed for a win for her mother. Immediate came the reply: “I don’t mix religion with politics.”
Jinx or superstition?
There is a feeling within some members of the BJP that the party’s new office at Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg is not proving to be as lucky for the party as the old building at Ashoka Road. Ever since the party moved to the former building in February last year, it has not had a significant electoral win. Apart from losing the high profile UP bypolls, it also failed to form a government in Karnataka and fared badly in the three Hindi heartland states. Of course, this belief is solely for the superstitious. They’re hoping to ward off the jinx before the big test—the 2019 general elections.