Delhi Confidential: Mallikarjun Kharge in a Batman mask; flight timing hiccups keep Mamata, Akhilesh apart

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge puts on a Batman mask in New Delhi on Monday. (Reuters)

Welcome to Delhi Confidential, your inside track to the power corridors of the capital. Today: From Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge causing a social media stir during a protest march to the Supreme Court to conflicting flight timings keeping two key opposition leaders from meeting.

1. 01

   Batman Buzz

   IN A bus packed with popular INDIA bloc leaders moving towards the Supreme Court, the one face that created the maximum buzz among Gen Z protesters was that of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in a Batman mask. Passed on by a protester, the mask reached Kharge, seated by the window in the first row, and he sportingly put it on. Soon, videos of Kharge in the Batman mask went viral on social media and became a talking point among politicians across party lines. Several MPs are learnt to have gone to Kharge and praised the adorable gesture of the 83-year-old. He also posed for photos for journalists covering the protest march.

2. 02

   Flight Hiccup

   THE TIMING of two flights complicated the plan of INDIA bloc leaders to put up a united show of strength in the Capital on Monday. Former West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s flight to Kolkata was scheduled for 5 pm, while Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav was landing in Delhi at 2.15 pm. Discussions were held on Sunday night to find a way to ensure the presence of the two prominent leaders together during the protest march to the Supreme Court. However, as luck would have it, Akhilesh got stuck in traffic and by the time he reached the protest site, Mamata had already left for IGI Airport.