Prime Minister Narendra Modi met BJP MPs from the election-bound State of Uttar Pradesh over breakfast on December 17, his fourth such interaction in the winter session of Parliament with party MPs categorised Statewise.
Significantly, Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra Teni, in the eye of a political storm over the Uttar Pradesh police Special Investigation Team report on the killing of eight people in Lakhimpur Kheri in October, was absent from the meeting.
Approximately 36 MPs from the State attended the breakfast meeting with Mr. Modi. The number was restricted to less than the total strength of the party in Parliament from Uttar Pradesh due to COVID-19 protocols, sources said.
The discussion was largely related to how MPs could foster better communication between constituents and themselves, and a common piece of advise that Mr. Modi seems to be telling all MPs who have met him so far is to organise sports tournaments in their areas to encourage both health and a sporting spirit. “He feels that sports encourages a positive motivation in the youth,” said a source present at the meeting. The upcoming poll in the State was not mentioned.
The day before, while speaking to BJP MPs from the south Indian States, Mr. Modi had urged lawmakers from the party to “not head for VIP lounges” when in airports to catch a flight, but to queue up with ordinary passengers and mingle with them.
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