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Rahul Gandhi and the VIP mangoes of Uttar Pradesh

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By Vikram Kilpady

Rahul Gandhi has been a target for the media from 2007 onwards when he was appointed party general secretary during the first United Progressive Alliance government led by Manmohan Singh. A constant stream of twitter abuse ended with people calling him Pappu and other pejoratives. While it was Jupiter’s escape velocity in 2013, a simile to illustrate the immense effort and force needed for Dalits to escape societal abuse under the caste system, this time he’s getting the stick for apparently not liking a certain mango, popular in Uttar Pradesh. Ergo, he is now The Man who Hates UP’s Mangoes!

The escape velocity comment was milked dry a year ahead of the 2014 elections when Narendra Modi led the BJP and the NDA to power thanks to the media’s eagerness to evict the Congress from its minority government perch. Gandhi’s harmless dislike for mangoes from Uttar Pradesh  has now turned into another opportunity for TV channels to juice it up ahead of UP Assembly elections next year.  

Here’s one case:

Please hear the voiceover repeatedly play up the word “bilkul” when Gandhi just said he doesn’t like, and NOT that he can’t stand or some other stronger word.  

In the usual pre-presser banter, Gandhi said he likes mangoes from Andhra Pradesh and not UP, he said Langdas are doable but Dussehris are too sweet for his liking. But in the quote hungry world of TV news, that was enough. This morning he’s been charged with divisive regionalism by UP CM Yogi Adityanath. The TV media has spun the remark in such a way that any dislike of mangoes from UP and liking mangoes from elsewhere becomes regional chauvinism since Rahul Gandhi is now tied to the South only because Wayanad chose to send him to the Lok Sabha while Amethi chose Smriti Irani as its MP in 2019.

Maybe Yogi Adityanath could have just sent the Gandhi scion some choice UP mangoes to convince him otherwise, but present-day take-no-prisoner politics usually leaves such grace of the old times behind.

Like the Dussehris, Langdas and Ratauls, the last of which would bring Pakistani mango lovers into the picture. They too swear by their Anwar Ratauls, which are said to be a version of the UP original. Imagine Pakistanis and the UP CM on one side, defending their province/state’s produce against Rahul Gandhi. Sigh!

While we don’t know for certain if Rahul Gandhi is referring to the Banganapalle variety, which Andhra Pradesh touts as its best (he may well have been),the political significance of the state and its Telugu twin Telangana for the Congress cannot be ignored.

After all, it is only since the division of the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh into Telangana and the new Andhra, with Amaravati as its capital, that the Congress has warmed the opposition benches in the Lok Sabha.

A similar decimation of the Congress in Delhi happened when Gandhi’s brother-in-law Robert Vadra called Arvind Kejriwal mango man in reference to the aam aadmi. The Congress is still unrepresented in the Delhi Assembly after that quote.

Though Mani Shankar Aiyar’s chaiwala-neech comment backfired, social media has been serenading the Congress leader for his farsightedness in identifying the chinks in the BJP, given the depths plumbed in the Pegasus spying scandal.  

It is indeed fortunate that Gandhi didn’t say he liked Alphonsos better, which would have brought in other mango loyalties into the picture. But given his complaint about UP mangoes, he may end up drinking a lot of Chausa/Dussehri/Rataul smoothies from the residence of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the Congress general secretary for UP. And the Langda faithful among the media could revisit their biases against Rahul Gandhi, who would now be praised for his good taste.

India News

Abhishek Banerjee says will not bow to BJP after nearly 11 hours of ED questioning

After spending nearly 11 hours before the Enforcement Directorate, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee said he would not bow to the BJP and accused the ruling party of using investigative agencies for political purposes.

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Abhishek Banerjee

Trinamool Congress leader and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday said he would not bow to the BJP after spending nearly 11 hours being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an ongoing investigation.

Speaking after the questioning, Banerjee alleged that central agencies were being used to target opposition leaders and asserted that he would continue his political fight despite what he described as sustained pressure.

The TMC leader has repeatedly maintained that investigations involving him are politically motivated, a charge he has made on several previous occasions while appearing before central agencies.

His appearance before the ED comes amid a period of heightened political activity and multiple investigations involving leaders in West Bengal. Recent days have also seen Banerjee face summons and questioning in separate matters by state investigative agencies.

After leaving the ED office, Banerjee reiterated that he would not be intimidated and said he remained committed to his political responsibilities. He also accused the BJP of attempting to weaken opposition parties through investigative action, an allegation that the BJP has rejected in the past.

The Enforcement Directorate has not publicly commented on Banerjee’s remarks. The investigation related to the questioning remains ongoing.

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India News

DMK attacks Rahul Gandhi, accuses him of weakening opposition unity

DMK has intensified its criticism of Rahul Gandhi, alleging that the Congress leader’s actions have weakened opposition unity and strained relations within the INDIA bloc.

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Rahul-Gandhi

The war of words between the DMK and Congress has intensified, with the DMK launching a strong attack on Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and accusing him of contributing to divisions within the opposition alliance. The criticism comes amid strained ties between the two parties following their political split in Tamil Nadu.

According to the DMK, Rahul Gandhi’s political approach has weakened unity among opposition parties. The party’s IT wing mocked the Congress leader on social media, while an editorial published in the DMK’s official mouthpiece Murasoli questioned his recent remarks on opposition solidarity.

DMK questions Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on opposition unity

In its editorial, Murasoli argued that Rahul Gandhi was speaking about opposition unity despite, according to the DMK, contributing to disagreements among alliance partners in several states. The publication cited criticism directed at Congress by various opposition parties and suggested that the party’s actions had often created tensions within the INDIA bloc.

The editorial also referred to past political disputes involving Congress and Left parties, particularly in Kerala, claiming such episodes had raised concerns among opposition allies about Congress’s approach toward its partners.

Tamil Nadu political fallout adds to tensions

The attack comes after a major political realignment in Tamil Nadu. Following the 2026 Assembly elections, Congress ended its alliance with the DMK and joined the government led by Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The move left the DMK in the opposition and significantly altered the political equation between the two former allies.

The DMK has alleged that Congress benefited from the alliance during the election and later abandoned its partner. The party’s editorial questioned whether assurances from Congress leadership would be trusted by alliance partners after the developments in Tamil Nadu.

Congress rejects allegations

Congress has not issued a detailed official response to the editorial, but party sources have rejected the allegations. According to the party, its decisions in Tamil Nadu were made in line with the mandate delivered by voters and were not intended to undermine either the DMK or the broader opposition alliance.

The latest exchange highlights growing strains between two key opposition parties even as leaders continue to stress cooperation on national issues. Just days earlier, Rahul Gandhi had said that the DMK remained aligned with the opposition on defending the “idea of India” despite political differences.

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Entertainment

Kumkum Bhagya actor Sanchita Ugale dies by suicide near Mumbai at 22

Television actor Sanchita Ugale, known for Kumkum Bhagya and Wagle Ki Duniya, died by suicide at her residence near Mumbai. Police have launched an investigation.

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Sanchita Ugale

Television actor Sanchita Ugale, known for her appearances in Kumkum Bhagya, Wagle Ki Duniya and Dilwali Dulha Le Jayegi, died by suicide at her residence in Nalasopara East near Mumbai on June 14. She was 22.

According to police officials, the incident took place at her home in Achole village, Nalasopara East. Authorities said Ugale had locked herself inside her bedroom and was later found hanging from a ceiling fan. Family members and local residents rushed her to a hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

Police have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death. Officials said inquiries are underway and the exact reason behind the incident has not yet been established.

Career across television, OTT and films

Ugale had built a growing presence in the entertainment industry through television, streaming projects and films. Apart from Kumkum Bhagya and Wagle Ki Duniya, she played a lead role in Dilwali Dulha Le Jayegi. She also appeared in OTT projects such as Crime Aaj Kal and Silence 2.

The actor was also associated with the film Chhaava, which contributed to her growing recognition among audiences.

Last social media post draws attention

Following news of her death, social media users shared and commented on Ugale’s final Instagram post, which had been uploaded hours before the incident. The post showed the actor in traditional attire lip-syncing to a classic Bollywood song. Fans expressed shock and grief after learning of her death.

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