Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra shared a cordial exchange during the customary tea hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday (December 19, 2025), following the conclusion of the Winter Session of Parliament.
The interaction stood out against previous sessions when Opposition parties often boycotted the event, including the Winter Session last year. In the current 18th Lok Sabha, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has attended only one such gathering, after the first session in 2024.
Sources said Ms. Gandhi, the Congress MP from Wayanad, told the Prime Minister that she was learning Malayalam to better connect with her constituents. She also asked him about his recent three-nation tour to Africa and the Middle East. Mr. Modi reportedly said that Ethiopia’s progress was far ahead of common perceptions in India, both socially and economically.
When Samajwadi Party leader Dharmendra Yadav remarked that the Winter Session was among the shortest, with just 15 sittings, Mr. Modi quipped that it was good for his throat as he “didn’t have to shout for too many days”, drawing laughter from those present.
Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) leader N.K. Premchandran also expressed concern over the short session, prompting Speaker Birla to remind him that he had ample opportunities to speak. Ms. Gandhi added that many MPs, including herself, observe Mr. Premchandran’s conduct in the House to learn parliamentary nuances.
