‘PIDDI’ PRESS MEET: JUST 2.45 MINUTES

As it is, Rahul talks little. But even by his ‘piddi’ standards, his first ever press conference in Mumbai on Wednesday was a huge embarrassment -- it lasted for just 2 minutes and 45 seconds.

The media briefing was organised by the Congress state and city units at a venue in Bandra at around 8.30 am and media persons were pounded with incessant reminders – do make it to the press meet, the party president’s maiden interaction in the city.

The media did not disappoint either: over 100 representatives from print, electronic and online media turned up and patiently waited for Gandhi, who breezed in almost an hour later.

After the preliminaries, a question was put to the Congress chief whether he would be willing to take over the leadership of the opposition alliance before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Brushing it aside with the customary élan of a seasoned politician, Gandhi repeated his criticism of the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

This lasted less than two minutes. Then, he thanked everyone and suddenly got up, ending the press conference abruptly.

A party official later said: "Rahulji was getting delayed for his onward journey to Nagpur and Nanded and other engagements."

Many media persons had left their homes at 6 am to reach the Bandra venue on schedule. An apologetic Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam blamed it all on a PR team.

"We had clearly said he would give a few bytes to the electronic media. The print media was also specifically informed that he will not take any questions. The programme went as scheduled," Nirupam told a wire agency.

Twitter had a field day lampooning Rahul. ‘‘So, most Mumbai journalists left home by 6 this morning to attend a press conference by Rahul Gandhi who turned up 45 minutes late and spoke for exactly 2.47 minutes. Shortest press conference of my life and now I want answers for my lost sleep!

Still others dubbed it Rahul’s Guinness Book moment.