KHATI CORNER

Meeting of mindsPolitics is not always about opposition. Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi recently proved that politicians from different parties can bond without engaging in a debate. In a rare and refreshing sight, the two-time MP was spotted outside Lok Sabha sharing a light moment with BJD Rajya Sabha MP Sulata Deo, Congress MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, and minister of state for health Anupriya S Patel — a cross-party gathering that didn't require a moderator or a mute button. Aparajita posted the cheerful snap on social media and captioned it: "Beyond Party and Politics. Today—outside the Lok Sabha—saying goodbye when the Parliament closed down for some time. Celebrating Womanhood." Followers responded it with the tagline — "Pic of the Day".Strike taleDuring Bharat Bandh, a youth wearing a sherwani and turban came out of a car and requested protesters at Jaydev Vihar square to allow his car and a bus carrying family and friends to proceed to his wedding at a village in Khurda district. Initially, the protesters could not believe that the youth was going to his own wedding, and asked him to swear on god. The youth immediately said, "I swear on god that I am going to attend my marriage ceremony." They then asked him to extend support to their movement and finally allowed him to proceed with the wedding procession. Policemen also helped him in the process.Metro bluesCitizens and political leaders are upset with Bhubaneswar Metro rail project not getting approval. In a creative burst of public frustration, residents flooded social media with posts pointing out that Andhra Pradesh got a metro project approved in the Union Budget. They said it's like watching your neighbour get a brand-new train while you're told to "enjoy the bus". Leaders, including Cuttack-Barabati MLA Sofia Firdous, also jumped in, calling it "absolutely unacceptable."(Contributed by Team TOI)