The Many Faces Of Modi: What The PM Did At BJP's Press Conference With Amit Shah

PM Narendra Modi sat through what PTI has called “his first face-to-face with a large contingent of reporters”. 

As arrangements were made for the briefing, TV channels hyped themselves up speculating that this. might. be. it. Finally, that long-awaited Modi press conference.

Journalists across the country were like...

When Modi began speaking, BJP’s Twitter handle tweeted out the livestream saying that the prime minister was addressing a conference.

Now I don’t know about you, but Cambridge dictionary defines a press conference as “a meeting at which a person or organisation makes a public statement and reporters can ask questions.”

Well, a statement was made. “Elections have been peaceful... we will win... I’ve very worked hard... yada yada yada.”

And the, questions were asked and answered, just not by Modi.

This is what he did instead

Look left.

Look ahead.

Look right.

Look bored.

Wait for it to get over.

Then leave.

There was also a bizarre parallel press conference going on all TV channels.

Rahul Gandhi , who was addressing his own press conference simultaneously, walked off the TV screen even as BJP’s briefing continued to be telecast.

One almost wished he would pop his head in at Modi’s “unprecedented” moment and interrupt the incredibly banal interaction with a few of those questions he keeps tweeting and asking at Congress rallies and press conferences.

But the imagination runs wild.

Modi did not even take questions directed at him by reporters who were present, saying the press conference was being addressed by party president Shah and discipline had to be followed.

“We are disciplined soldiers of the party,” he said.

Excuse me, my eyes are going to roll right out off my sockets.

If he wanted to take questions, what has stopped him from holding his own press conference these five years? 

You can catch all the nava rasas of the PM in the video below: