SHIMLA: A local BJP leader and his wife has recalled how Prime Minister Narendra Modi taught them to cook khichdi while he was in charge of the party’s Himachal Pradesh’s unit in the 1990s. The interesting incident was revealed by BJP leader Deepak Sharma and his wife Seema Sharma. Modi had asked about Deepak Sharma, amid his Shimla visit. The BJP state leadership revealed that this conveys the message that Modi has not forgotten the ordinary workers even after becoming the prime minister of the country.

Modi was in charge of the BJP’s Himachal Pradesh unit in the late 90s. During the Navratras in 1997, I had cooked khichdi for Prime Minister Modi, but it did not meet his expectations. He then showed me how to cook the dish, recalled Seema Sharma. Modi had enquired about Deepak Sharma to Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur during his Shimla visit. Later, Thakur mentioned this in his address at a rally at the Ridge Maidan. Modi had asked whether Deepak Sharma still goes to the Jakhu temple on foot, he said.

Following which, Deepak Sharma and his wife Seema Sharma revealed about their experiences with Modi. Sharma, who currently serves as a nominated councillor in the Shimla municipal corporation, said he was very happy when he learnt that prime minister asked about him. Modi used to visit my eatery, Deepak Vaishav Bhojnalya, at Middle Bazaar in Shimla when he was the state BJP in-charge during 1997-98, Sharma said. It was during the time that he asked Seema to cook khichdi.

“Prime Minister Modi taught me how to cook the perfect sabu dana khichdi. Since then, whenever I cook khichdi, I cook it the way Modi taught me," Seema said, expressing her gratitude. “Modi had also accompanied me 10 or 12 times to the temple”, added Sharma.