New Delhi (Agency): Following a speech by Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha, Sonia Gandhi, former Congress leader and his mother, took a strong leadership role when BJP MP Smriti Irani challenged the opposition.
As heated words were exchanged between the ruling party and opposition, Sonia Gandhi energetically supported her party members amid the intense discussions during both Rahul Gandhi and Smriti Irani’s speeches.
Although Rahul Gandhi left after his address, Sonia Gandhi stayed to listen to Smriti Irani’s speech, which lasted over an hour. Throughout Rahul’s address, she received advice from her and National Conference Patron, Farooq Abdullah. She also communicated with Rahul, passing on messages via Gaurav Gogoi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the leader of Congress in Lok Sabha.
Interestingly, when union minister Kiren Rijiju’s microphone was unexpectedly turned on during Rahul’s speech, Sonia Gandhi didn’t just remain silent. She stood up, and with her encouragement, several Congress and opposition MPs vocally protested in the central area of the Lok Sabha, known as the well of the house. Throughout Smriti Irani’s address, Sonia Gandhi continuously signaled her MPs to raise their voices in protest and chant slogans.
In response to Sonia Gandhi’s clear direction and assertiveness, Smriti Irani hinted, without mentioning her directly, that the opposition seemed to be “remote controlled”. At one point, Sonia Gandhi was also heard chanting “Manipur! Manipur!” from her seat.