New Delhi, 9 June, 2014

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday shortly after President Pranab Mukherjee addressed a joint session of Parliament walked over to Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and held Rahul Gandhi’s hand in an expression of warmth. The two men exchanged a few words. The prime minister was walking in the traditional procession along with Mukherjee. As Modi neared Rahul, who was in the middle rows on a seat next to the aisle, Modi held Rahul’s hand. Modi’s gesture evoked a smile from Rahul.

Modi was seated in the front row along with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and former prime minister Manmohan Singh. Sonia Gandhi was seated in the adjacent front row along with veteran BJP leader L.K. Advani and former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda. Sonia and Advani conversed intently for several minutes before the President began his 55-minute speech.