A week after Pankaj Chaudhary, the president of the BJP’s Uttar Pradesh unit, warned several Brahmin MLAs and MLCs against participating in a community-based dinner where “baati-chokha”—a traditional dish from eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar-was served, the Samajwadi Party (SP) hosted its own “baati-chokha” feast on New Year’s Day. During the event, SP national president Akhilesh Yadav urged his party members not to let internal conflicts tarnish the dish’s reputation, stating that everyone should come together and enjoy the meal without limitations. According to SP sources, the feast was a message to the ruling party, emphasizing unity across castes and communities against “caste-based activities.”
In another notable event, readers of Janmabhumi, the BJP’s newspaper in Kerala, were left surprised when they turned to the editorial page. Instead of their usual content, they found an article by Muslim League Kerala chief Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal, along with two opinion pieces from other Muslim League leaders, M K Muneer and Mohammed Shah. The editorial focused on the collapse of the Left Democratic Front in the recent local body elections. This mix-up occurred at a private facility where the editorial pages for various newspapers, including Janmabhumi and Chandrika, were prepared. The incident elicited amusement and political jabs from the rival CPI(M).
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) welcomed the New Year with a celebratory dance to “Paanch Saal Kejriwal,” its campaign anthem since 2015, which was also featured during its unsuccessful bid to maintain power in the Capital earlier in 2025. The boundaries of seniority within the party blurred as former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia hosted leaders, including AAP convenor and former CM Arvind Kejriwal and his wife Sunita, at his home. As the song played, both guests and the host joined in an impromptu dance, marking a lively farewell to 2025.
Original Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/delhi-confidential/delhi-confidential-feast-for-all-10450680/
Category: Delhi Confidential
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Publish Date: 2026-01-02 04:53:00
