Vice-President Jagdeep DhankharCake diplomacy: Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar seems to be on a image-makeover mission vis-a-vis Opposition parties. Dhankhar, who had hosted a dinner for the floor leaders in the first week of October to break the ice, invited 40 Rajya Sabha MPs earlier this week for another dinner.
TMC, which appears to have not forgotten the confrontations during his term as West Bengal Governor, didn’t have a representative. Dhankhar had 10 DMK MPs among the guests and when he came to know that it was Kanimozhi NVN Somu’s birthday, he arranged a cake-cutting ceremony. Many leaders were trying to find out the “meaning” behind the gesture.
Goa connection: During the launch of his LiFE mission (Lifestyle for Environment) to fight climate change, after a bilateral dialogue with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was quick to point out that Guterres has an Indian connection.
Guterres, a former Portuguese Prime Minister, has visited India several times in a non-official capacity, with his wife whose family had roots in Goa. His wife’s family had relocated to Portugal after Goa’s annexation.