When Hema Malini failed to recognise Gopalkrishna Gandhi

Yesteryear’s dream girl and BJP MP Hema Malini had just come out of Room No. 62 in Parliament after casting her vote on Saturday. She was surprised to see a large number of photographers pointing their cameras at an elderly man and enquired from the nearest photographer about the identity of the man they were shooting. Clearly, she had never seen him before.

Informed that the gentleman was none other than Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the opposition’s choice for the Vice-President, she looked stumped. But recovering her composure, the famed danseuse gingerly advanced towards the ‘citizens’ candidate’ to introduce herself, leaving amused photographers to wonder if the Member of Parliament from Mathura ever read newspapers or watched TV channels. She certainly didn’t appear to have the time for such frivolous pursuits.

Saturday, the day earmarked for electing the 14th Vice-President of India by the Members of Parliament started early. By 9.30 am a large number of MPs had gathered at the entrance of Room no 62 ready to cast their vote. The UP Chief Minister, Adityanath Yogi, one of the first to arrive, was seen exchanging pleasantries with Jairam Ramesh of the Congress. The voting was to begin at 10 a.m.

Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, arrived at 9.45 am and jumped the queue. The first vote of the day was cast by the PM. Other party members followed, many of whom raised their hand and flashed the “V” sign after casting their ballot. Poonam Mahajan, the BJP member of Parliament from Mumbai Central, was heard complaining about the humid weather but raised her hand in triumph to make a victory sign and said, “twin”, leaving people baffled because nobody quite knew what she meant.

The BJP candidate, Venkaiah Naidu, meanwhile refused to oblige the photographers who were clamouring for him to flash a victory sign, quipping wryly that this was a time to stand humbly “with hands folded”.

Rahul Gandhi arrived ahead of the Congress Party president, Sonia Gandhi. The leader of the BJP Margdarshak Mandal and former Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani and former Prime Minister of India, HD Gowda, were forlorn figures, arriving alone and leaving by themselves, lending credence to the fickle nature of power.

The photographs that follow record a few moments in Parliament on Saturday during the polling: