'Bade log hain': Prashant Kishor on Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'
Motihari (Bihar), Jan 7: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' on Saturday won grudging praise, couched in sarcasm, from political strategist-turned-activist Prashant Kishor.
The IPAC founder, who is on a padayatra in his home state Bihar, was asked by journalists in Motihari about parallels, if any, he saw between his own effort and the marathon march of Gandhi.
"Bade log hain (they are big people). Compared with them, I am a nobody," said Kishor whose 'Jan Suraaj' campaign in Bihar came after a lengthy round of failed negotiations with the top leadership of the Congress, which he had wanted to join and was confident of reviving using his professional skills.
"Rahul Gandhi is on a 3,500 km-long march. For me, kilometers do not matter. I have been walking non-stop since October. But I do not want to show it off as evidence of my physical fitness," Kishor remarked, with thinly veiled sarcasm.
Dubbed an "opportunist" by the political mainstream in Bihar, the former strategist insisted that he had infused his campaign with a "purity of intent".
"It is like the austerities of Chhath. One can have a sip of water. But true devotees do not make such a compromise and complete a gruelling 36 hour-long fast," he said, with a rhetorical flourish.
"Not for me breaks during the New Year or visits to my home. Nor do I agree to hitch short rides on my way to the next destination," said Kishor in an obvious dig at the Congress leader.
Notably, Kishor first came in limelight after handling Narendra Modi's spectacularly successful campaign in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. He called it a day as a professional strategist after the 2021 assembly polls in West Bengal where his client, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, registered her biggest-ever victory.
In the meantime, the IPAC founder had done business with political leaders as diverse as Nitish Kumar, Uddhav Thackeray, M K Stalin, Arvind Kejriwal, Amarinder Singh, Jagan Mohan Reddy and K Chandrashekar Rao.
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SRH knocked out of play-off race after washout against DC
Hyderabad, May 5 (PTI): Sunrisers Hyderabad were eliminated from the play-offs race after their Indian Premier League fixture against Delhi Capitals was called off due to heavy rain following the first innings here on Monday.
Pat Cummins-led SRH pace attack ran through the DC batting line-up to limit the visitors to 133/7 before rain dashed the slim hopes of the home team. Both teams shared a point each for the abandoned game.
With 13 points from 11 games, DC remain in contention for a top-four spot.
After reaching the final last year, it was a season to forget for SRH who could not replicate their ballistic run of 2024 with the bat. Having collected only seven points from 11 matches, SRH will now be playing for pride.
Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals were already eliminated from the competition.
Before rain lashed the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, the hosts put up a clinical effort with the ball and were on course for only their fourth win of the season until rain arrived, creating large puddles of water on the outfield. The match officials decided to call off the game at 11.10 pm local time.
The shot selection of Delhi Capitals' batters contributed to their downfall after being put in to bat.
They were left reeling at 29 for five in 7.1 overs with captain Cummins causing the maximum damage.
Cummins had Karun Nair caught behind on the very first ball of the match with a good length ball around the off-stump. It was a rather loose shot from the DC batter first up.
Faf du Plessis departed in Cummins' following over, a failed attempt to put the relentless Australian away for a boundary. Not getting any loose ball from Cummins, the South Africa went for a pull on the charge only to be caught by the wicket-keeper.
Cummins' third victim was Abhishek Porel who was caught after mistiming a flick.
Harshal Patel and Jaydev Unadkat then got into the act by dismissing Axar Patel and K L Rahul respectively. The in-form Rahul went for a drive on the up but ended up edging it to Ishan Kishan behind the stumps.
It was one way traffic until Tristian Stubbs (41 not out off 36) and impact player Ashutosh Sharma (41 off 26) combined to take DC to a respectable total. They shared a 66-run stand off 45 balls.
Sharma was able to break the shackles by depositing leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari for a couple of sixes over long-on in the 15th over.
Stubbs did not look as comfortable as Sharma in the middle but managed to provide much needed support to the latter. The South African could find only four boundaries with the last one coming off the final ball of the innings.
🚨 News 🚨
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 5, 2025
Match 55 between @SunRisers and @DelhiCapitals has been called off due to wet outfield.
Both teams share a point each.
Scorecard ▶ https://t.co/1MkIwk4VNE
#TATAIPL | #SRHvDC pic.twitter.com/VnVZWjsjGJ
