Through his interactions with people from all walks of life, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been spotted several times in his commitment to maintaining a personal connection with the people he represents. Since the conclusion of his 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' in January, Gandhi's efforts to engage with the common people have been a cornerstone of his political approach. A recent visit to a restaurant in Gwalior by his former close aide, now senior BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, prompted comparisons between the two politicians.
Scindia took to Twitter to share a video of himself interacting with the restaurant's cooks and seeking the blessings of an elderly woman, all while being greeted with chants of 'Long live Jyotiraditya Scindia'. "Along with having delicious food, it's important to meet the cooks!" said the Union Minister in a tweet. "I met the young staff at a restaurant in Gwalior today and discussed food and local issues," his tweet in Hindi said.
A Twitter user immediately pointed out the similarity to Rahul Gandhi's approach, implying that Scindia was learning from his former colleague. In response, the BJP leader tweeted a veiled dig at Gandhi, saying, "Actually, unlearning".
Scindia made headlines in March 2020 when he and 22 MLAs rebelled against the Congress, causing the Kamal Nath-led government in Madhya Pradesh to fall and the formation of a BJP government led by Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Scindia was elected as a BJP Rajya Sabha MP later that year and appointed as the Civil Aviation Minister in 2021.
Scindia launched a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi and the Congress in April of this year, accusing the party of lacking any ideology other than that of a "traitor" working against the country.
Gandhi recently visited a bike-repairing shop in Delhi's Karol Bagh market, where he not only interacted with the mechanics but also assisted them. He spoke with mechanics, local business owners, and market workers to better understand their problems. Similarly, the Congress leader reached out to gig workers in May.