'Last episode of Mann ki Baat': Opposition leaders react to Modi's maiden press conference, mock PM for not taking questions

New Delhi: Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s maiden press conference , where he did not entertain any questions, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday said the presser seemed “like last episode of Mann ki Baat aired on TV instead of radio”. Akhilesh took to Twitter, saying: “Development is asking have you seen the first press conference of Pradhan ji. Seems like the last episode of Mann ki Baat has been aired on TV instead of radio. Media persons did not get to ask their questions and the disciplined soldiers remained silent.” Soon after the prime minister’s media appearance was over, Congress president Rahul Gandhi wrote on Twitter: “Congratulations Modi Ji. Excellent Press Conference! Showing up is half the battle.”

Congratulations Modi Ji. Excellent Press Conference! Showing up is half the battle. Next time Mr Shah may even allow you to answer a couple of questions. Well done! 👍

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 17, 2019

Rahul, who held a parallel press conference at the time Modi and Shah were meeting reporters, has repeatedly urged the prime minister to debate him on several issues. [caption id=“attachment_6654571” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Prime Minister Narendra Modi with BJP president Amit Shah during a press conference at the party headquarter in New Delhi. PTI[/caption] Loktantrik Janata Dal party chief Sharad Yadav called the meet the “farewell press conference” of the BJP. “It is unfortunate that even after five years of rule of the BJP, (the) PM could not face media. It’s a question on everybody’s mind. Before the last phase of election PM has given clear indication from his body language that he has accepted defeat and it was like a farewell press conference of the party and government,” he tweeted. Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah took a dig saying that “Amit Shah doesn’t forget to thank the embedded BJP workers disguised as journalists”. Referring to Modi’s reluctance to address the press, Congress leader Ahmed Patel said in a tweet: “Never seen a press conference where someone else is answering questions on your behalf. There was no need to lower the dignity of the office of the Prime Minister just to prove a point.” Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot tweeted: “Today, the whole country saw Modi ji’s body language at the press conference. The world has seen that Modi ji has accepted defeat and he presented himself in the same way in front of the media. He did not answer any question. No one can ask him a question.”