Overview
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra exchanged light conversation at Om Birla’s customary post-session tea in the Lok Sabha Speaker’s chamber.
- Congress, which skipped the previous edition, chose to attend this time after a party decision by Mallikarjun Kharge, with Priyanka joining Kumari Selja and Manickam Tagore.
- Sources described a cordial exchange that included a chat about the medicinal use of blue turmeric from Wayanad and a Tamil quip from Priyanka that drew laughter from the Prime Minister.
- Modi singled out RSP MP N. K. Premachandran for well-studied interventions on legislation, a sentiment others at the gathering echoed.
- The cordial scene followed a shortened, contentious winter session that saw fierce protests over the government’s bill to replace the UPA-era MGNREGA and late-night debates before adjournment sine die.