Setting a Record

WITH NARENDRA Modi set to become the country’s longest-serving elected Prime Minister on Wednesday, surpassing the record of 4,398 uninterrupted days held by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the BJP has planned special events across the country to commemorate the milestone. Over 70 leaders of the NDA have been invited to a gathering at Bharat Mandapam, where they are expected to pass a resolution congratulating PM Modi on the achievement. The BJP has also planned special puja ceremonies at the Char Dham shrines of Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath, besides temples and ghats along the Ganga in Uttarakhand. Sources said prayers will also be offered at dargahs in different parts of the country. Last year, PM Modi overtook Indira Gandhi’s record to become the second-longest-serving PM in consecutive terms.

All’s Bhel 

AFTER JHAL-MURI made its political debut during recently held West Bengal Assembly elections, “bhel puri” has become the latest snack to enter political conversations in the Capital. As INDIA bloc allies assembled in Delhi on Monday, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut joined the meeting virtually as they were busy with a family function in Maharashtra. During the discussions, Raut was spotted munching on something, which many thought was Mumbai’s popular snack — bhel-puri. A TMC leader jokingly remarked that the Sena (UBT) leader was enjoying bhel-puri alone. Raut didn’t say much during the meeting, but later texted the TMC leader that he was not having bhel-puri, but another famous Maharashtra snack — poha.