Cool Breeze: Priyanka from Rae Bareli?

Priyanka from Rae Bareli?

The Congress hasn’t yet announced it, but according to local BSP and SP sources, Priyanka Vadra will be contesting the next elections from Rae Bareli, while Rahul Gandhi will remain in Amethi, while Sonia Gandhi is expected to take the Rajya Sabha route. This is the on-ground feedback they have received from their sources. The Congress, of course, is yet to make any such announcement.

Between the wink and the hug

The Congress president has upped his media engagement post his speech during the no-confidence motion which stole the headlines away from the Prime Minister’s own speech in Parliament. Since then, Rahul Gandhi has had two rounds of engagements, first with women journalists and later on—after there were complaints of gender bias—with men. The general impression is that Rahul Gandhi definitely came across as more assertive and communicative than any of his earlier interactions. And in keeping with his social media persona, has a wry, sometimes self-deprecating, sense of humour. However, a note of caution—the feedback from the first group was more complimentary than the latter!

The hug but not the wink

At the Manch Maharashtra conclave organised by India News in Mumbai recently, both the BJP’s Pankaja Munde and Congress’ Praniti Shinde came across as two feisty GenNext leaders from the state. When asked if she would accept a hug from Praniti, pat came the reply from Pankaja: “I’ll take the hug, but not the wink!”

Mission possible

Recently, Rashtrapati Bhavan held a special screening of a 32-minute film based on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s childhood. Called Chalo Jeete Hai, the film is now almost compulsory viewing for all BJP MPs, as Amit Shah made it clear at a parliamentary party meet recently. After asking for a show of hands as to who all had seen the movie, he made it clear that he expected every MP to see it and pass on the movie’s inspirational message to the voters during their 2019 election campaign. After all, don’t miss the film’s title—this is a movie on a mission!