Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Meerut, The picture of Samajwadi Party Supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav walking with one of his arch political rivals Prime Minister Narendra Modi, both holding each other’s hands, is a sight which is otherwise unthinkable.
But what is also being considered as one of the biggest photo-ops, happened when the Prime Minister came to attend the “Tilak” pre-wedding ceremony of the SP leader’s grandnephew and parliamentarian Tej Pratap Yadav, who is marrying Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s youngest daughter on Saturday afternoon.
The ceremony is being held at Saifai, the native village of the SP chief.
What added to the politically significant scene was Lalu Prasad Yadav’s handshake with the Prime Minister.
All the three leaders, otherwise arch rivals of each other, forgot their political differences and displayed a rare comradrie when they smiled, shook hands, chatted and walked together to the grand stage erected for the ceremony.
Prime Minister Modi chatted with the fathers of the groom and the bride and spent about 15 minutes on the stage. He waved to the crowd and showered petals on the groom as the ceremony was going on.
Modi’s presence at the ceremony is being seen as his attempt to reach out to the Opposition, especially the SP which is leading the unification attempt of the ‘Janata Parivar’ ahead of the Budget session where the Government needs numbers in the Rajya Sabha to pass crucial Ordinances.
Samajwadi Party leaders like Ramgopal Yadav, however, clarified that it shouldn’t be “associated” with politics.
The pre-wedding ceremony which is going to unite two of the most powerful political families of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar is being attended by VVIPs including Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, superstar Amitabh Bacchan, industrialist Anil Ambani and former SP leader Amar Singh, among several others.
