New Delhi: A video from Wednesday captured a notable moment in Parliament as Sonia Gandhi and Jaya Bachchan engaged in a jovial conversation, signaling a potential thaw in their relationship. The interaction occurred as opposition leaders exited Rajya Sabha proceedings and gathered outside, where Sonia Gandhi’s convoy arrived. Upon her arrival, Congress leader Rajeev Shukla, a Rajya Sabha member from Chhattisgarh, greeted her warmly.
Moments later, Sonia Gandhi shared words and laughter with Derek O’Brien of Trinamool Congress and Jaya Bachchan, a veteran Rajya Sabha member representing the Samajwadi Party and wife of Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan. Their interaction, captured on camera, depicted a rare moment of camaraderie, though the specifics of their conversation were not disclosed.
Historically, the Gandhi and Bachchan families shared a close friendship, particularly between former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Amitabh Bachchan. Bachchan contested and won the Lok Sabha election from Allahabad in 1984 at Rajiv Gandhi’s request but resigned amid the Bofors scandal, leading to a strain in their relationship. Consequently, the families grew apart, with Sonia Gandhi and Jaya Bachchan sitting in separate rows in the Rajya Sabha.
Sonia Gandhi, who recently moved from the Lok Sabha to the Upper House, now occupies a front-row seat in Rajya Sabha, while Jaya Bachchan sits a few rows behind. Their interactions had been infrequent, but with their new parliamentary roles, they are more likely to cross paths. In recent developments, the Congress and the Samajwadi Party formed an alliance under the INDIA bloc platform, which recently delivered a surprising blow to the BJP. Rahul Gandhi and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav have also displayed notable camaraderie during this period.
On Wednesday, MPs from the INDIA Bloc staged a walkout in the Lok Sabha, protesting what they claimed was discrimination against states governed by opposition parties in the Union Budget. The session began with opposition members addressing budget allocation issues.
