Behind every Robert, there's no ...

New Delhi: Robert Vadra must have slept in the drawing room couch last night on an empty stomach - the least punishment a husband can expect after daring to proclaim he did not need his wife to enhance his life. Such a transgression was committed in public by Vadra this noon after he practised a few short shots at the Delhi Golf Club. The country's most widely known son-in-law told the news agency ANI: "I did not need Priyanka to enhance my life. I have enough, I have always had enough. My parents gave me enough. I was educated enough to sustain no matter what comes my way."

Under the scanner for questionable land deals in Haryana, Vadra added: "I am born and brought up here, would never leave my country, no pressure, even if I am humiliated. Whatever way the government wants to keep on writing, saying or doing, I have the ability to sustain and to absorb. I have a very strong and good family. My children give me strength." Asked whether he would take the plunge into active politics, Vadra said: "You never say never, let's see what the future has in store for me. "If I can lose 20 kilos weight or ride a bicycle for 100km... these keep our mind strong. I have been with Priyanka, a part of the Gandhi family for 20 years. It won't take me 20 years to join politics or win from some constituency." Then he set the terms, which should make the Congress breathe a little easy. "But when there is a call, when people think I can make some change, only then will I think of joining politics.... How can I just join politics because I am part of a family? I understand my responsibilities. I know which family I am with, what they have done for generations." But Vadra has no plans to change one habit. "No matter what people say, I will still keep writing on topics that I think need to be brought to peoples notice and highlighted for sure." It was not clear whether he was referring to his social media entries like "mango men" - a phrase meant to lampoon the Aam Aadmi Party, which backfired badly when Arvind Kejriwal proved his mettle in the Delhi elections. Vadra, who has a teenaged son and daughter, has raised the bar as a parent. "I was a fine student, but at that time 60-70 per cent was enough. On Friday, less than 90 per cent does not matter. I have told my children that nothing less than 90 per cent will do." Evidently, responsible parenting is having a calming effect on the doting dad. In November 2014, Vadra had pushed away the mike of a reporter of the same news agency when asked about his estates in Haryana. He had then retorted: "Are you serious? Are you serious? Are you nuts? What is wrong with you?" On Friday, Vadra spared the reporter and took aim at the Union government. "I wish the government best. But I think people will revolt and understand what is right and wrong. In business people are upset, in real estate people are upset. I don't wanna say anything adverse.... I don't want to promote anything.... Soon enough people will understand what is right and wrong," he said. Reacting to Vadra's statements, BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma said: "As far as people' revolt is concerned, it has already happened. It happened in 2014 when people threw the Congress out of the power due to its corruption and mal-governance." The Congress appeared to have graver things in mind. Minutes after Vadra's sound bites were aired, some curious Congress leaders tried to find out if all was well between the couple. By late Thursday evening, Congress circles were unanimous that Vadra's words had more to do with the constant "harassment" by the BJP and "nothing" was amiss in his ties with Priyanka. Some Congress leaders felt that Vadra was looking for support from the Congress to counter the BJP. Of late, Congress spokespersons have not been coming out in open support of Vadra. Vadra is said to be deeply upset over constant insinuation in social media that he might "do a Vijay Mallya". Vadra's statement on not leaving the country may have been made against this backdrop. Social media had a field day on Vadra's comments. A sample on Twitter: Robert Vadra: I don't need Priyanka to enhance my life. Priyanka: Ghar aaja.... Phir bataati hoon.