Delhi Confidential: Sonia Gandhi’s memoir at Jagdeep Dhankhar’s AIIMS bedside; buzz over cabinet reshuffle

Former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot visits AIIMS Delhi to meet ailing former VP Jagdeep Dhankhar, prays for his long life. (ANI Photo)

Welcome to Delhi Confidential, your inside track to the power corridors of the capital. Today: A copy of Sonia Gandhi’s newly released memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, catches eyeballs on former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s hospital bedside table during Ashok Gehlot’s AIIMS visit. Meanwhile, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya bonds with youth over regional teas, and BJP circles buzz with speculation over a possible Council of Ministers reshuffle following PM Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to the Philippines.

1. 01

   In Sight

   THREE DAYS since its release on November 10, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s memoir — Belonging: A journey of love — has been the talk of the town. A copy of the book was also spotted on the bedside table of former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who is recovering at AIIMS after he collapsed during a morning walk on Wednesday. Former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, who visited Dhankhar at the hospital on Friday, shared a photo of the meeting on X in which the book could be seen.

2. 02

   Tea Types

   UNION SPORTS Minister Mansukh Mandaviya recently interacted with a group of youth during a roundtable where Gujarati tea was served. He opened a discussion on various types of tea served in different parts. Mandaviya termed Gujarati tea as ‘strong’, and others joined with their inputs, citing salt tea from Leh, black Kattan tea from Kerala, and Osmania tea from Hyderabad.

3. 03

   Meeting Point

   BJP CIRCLES are abuzz with speculation around a meeting of the Council of Ministers scheduled to take place after PM Narendra Modi’s return from a two-day visit to the Philippines next week. Some insiders believe that the meeting will be just a stock-taking exercise to appraise the ongoing government schemes, similar to the one presided over by the PM in September. However, others see the possibility of a reshuffle among the existing ranks of Ministers of State, which may undergo ‘significant changes’ in the event of a rejig in the Cabinet.