Rahul Gandhi to replace Kapil Sharma in ‘Comedy Nights’

His stage presence is simply hilarious.

It appears that the weekend TV show “Comedy Nights with Kapil” on the TV Channel “Colors” would soon be getting a makeover.

The ouster of Kapil Sharma from the eponymous show he started on TV seems imminent – with Rahul Gandhi set to replace him.

Mr. Gandhi has, so far, provided comic relief to vast majorities of the Indian population with his observations on poverty, bees, space shuttles and other nonsensical things.
“Rahul Gandhi is funnier than Kapil by far- even on a bad day for Mr. Gandhi,” our source from within Colors, told us. “He makes the best analogies anyone can make and that too free of cost. Imagine what he would do if we were to give him a little bit of money for it.”

“He writes his own speeches,” a prominent Gandhi family speechwriter said, on condition of anonymity, refusing to accept any responsibility for any of Mr. Gandhi’s speeches.
“Even if we write something for him, he uses his quick wit and education to come up with incredible things on the spot, without any help from anyone. He is truly one of a kind.”

Words may have been wrong, but sentiment wasn't: Rahul Gandhi on ordinance

Ahmedabad: Rahul Gandhi on Thursday spoke for the first time about his scathing public review of the ordinance that was introduced to protect convicted MPs.

"My mother told me that the words that I used were strong. In hindsight, I feel maybe my words were wrong... but the sentiment I felt was not wrong," the young vice-president of the Congress told reporters in Gujarat. His mother, Sonia Gandhi, is president of the Congress party. "I am entitled to voice my opinion," he said, stressing that a large section of his party supported his stand.

The government withdrew the ordinance last evening, which Mr Gandhi derided as "nonsense" that should be "torn up and thrown away" at a press conference last week that was being addressed by senior Congress leader Ajay Maken. "I told him you can't defend the indefensible," Mr Gandhi said.

Apparently referring to the criticism by the opposition and some allies that he had insulted and undermined the authority of the Prime Minister and the cabinet, Mr Gandhi asked, "Why am I being penalised for raising my voice on something that was wrong?"

"I spoke my mind on the issue, it is amazing to see reactions to it. I am flabbergasted," he said.

On Wednesday, Mr Gandhi met Dr Manmohan Singh and reportedly expressed regret for the timing and language of his critique. However, he reiterated his opposition to the controversial executive order that was seen as a naked attempt to circumvent the Supreme Court.

In July, the court barred law-makers from holding office if they are convicted in cases carrying sentences of more than two years.

Two days after her son's blunt remarks, Mrs Gandhi defended the Prime Minister at a rally in Karnataka and attacked the main opposition party, the BJP, for "making fun" of him.

"They make fun of our party, our prime minister. I want to tell them that our whole party stands behind the prime minister," she said.

Rabri Devi: My son and I will run RJD like Sonia Gandhi and Rahul run Congress

Patna: Rabri Devi has done it before. So when Lalu Prasad was sent to jail in a fodder scam case yesterday, his wife said she and her son would run his party the Rashtriya Janata Dal much like "Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi."

"As Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are guiding Congress, which their ancestors had created so too we will provide strength to the RJD to keep it strong," pledged the 54-year-old Rabri Devi, a former Chief Minister of Bihar, after the CBI court at Ranchi delivered its verdict. (Lalu Prasad found guilty of corruption, jailed)

Mr Prasad, 66, faces a jail term of at least four years after being convicted on corruption charges and will be disqualified from the Lok Sabha. More significantly for his party, he will not be able to contest next year's national election, and even the one after that.

RJD leaders indicated that Rabri was the natural choice to lead the party in his absence. "Rabri Devi is our leader. She is still there to guide us," party secretary General Ramkripal Yadav said.

54-year-old Rabri Devi has two sons -- Tej Pratap Yadav and Tejasvi Yadav. Tejasvi, 24, is seen as Lalu's political heir; he accompanied his father to the Ranchi court yesterday. "We will fight the fodder scam verdict electorally," he said, indicating that he was ready to step in.

Many however say it is too early for any of the younger Yadavs to take on a bigger role, though Lalu had presented his sons as the future face of the party at a mega rally in May this year, which was billed as his comeback show of strength.

While Tej Pratap runs an automobile business in Aurangabad, Tejasvi is a former cricketer who was once also part of the Delhi Daredevils IPL team.

Rabri Devi was a reluctant entrant into politics in 1997 when she became the chief minister of the state, chosen by Mr Prasad to replace him when he had to resign after he was charged in fodder scam. She served as chief minister again from 1999 for about a year and then again from 2000-2005.