Mallikarjun Kharge-Modi warmth, off camera

Mallikarjun Kharge-Modi warmth, off camera

“Kharge ji, aao na, haat milaiye (Mr Kharge, come, let’s shake hands),” he said, as the PM turned and smiled at Kharge. When Kharge hesitated, Naidu repeated his request.

Written by Liz Mathew
New DelhiUpdated: Nov 28, 2015, 17:02

INDIA

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Congress MP Mallikarjun Kharge, right, talks to BJP leader and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu, at the central hall of Parliament House, in New Delhi. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

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Cameras missed those moments, but what transpired in the 10 minutes after Friday’s Parliament session was adjourned reflected the drastic change in the ruling party’s approach towards the Opposition, and its eagerness to reach out to them.

At 6.17 pm, after the House was adjourned and the Speaker left for her chambers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stayed on, exchanging pleasantries with colleagues after wrapping up the two-day debate on India’s Commitment to the Constitution. That’s when Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu called out to Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, who was talking to staff at the lower house. “Kharge ji, aao na, haat milaiye (Mr Kharge, come, let’s shake hands),” he said, as the PM turned and smiled at Kharge.

When Kharge hesitated, Naidu repeated his request. “Chalo, dil mile na mile, haat toh milayenge (Whether hearts meet or not, let’s shake hands),” Kharge said, walking towards the PM, who had already taken a few steps towards the Congress leader. Modi then shook hands with the seemingly hesitant Kharge.

Then came a suggestion from Union Minister Ramkripal Yadav — “Gale miliye (exchange a hug)” — to which Kharge gave a dismissive expression. “Hum matching mein bhi hain aaj (We are also wearing matching clothes today),” Modi then told the Opposition leader, referring to the pale white jackets both of them were wearing. Kharge was the only leader from the Opposition benches left in the house — both Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhihad already left.

The PM’s friendliness was not just limited to the Opposition. Moments earlier, Modi shook hands with several MPs who came to greet him. When former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa came to greet him, Modi patted him on the shoulder and ticked off a fly sitting on his white shirt. The PM also exchanged pleasantries with Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh and his MP nephew Dharmendra Yadav.

Modi also went to senior BJP leader L K Advani, who was standing near the front bench, held his hand and spoke to him for almost a minute.

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