Sonia Gandhi, Jaya Bachchan Friends Again? Viral Picture From INDIA Bloc Meet Indicates End of Bitterness

Is the bitterness between the Gandhis and the Bachchans over? The first sign of an end to the land-standing feud came in August 2024 when Congress leader Sonia Gandhi staged a dramatic walkout in Parliament to back Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan.

On Monday, Congress President and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge hosted a dinner for leaders of the INDIA Alliance in New Delhi. "In the heart of New Delhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge welcomed INDIA alliance leaders to an evening that was more than just dinner - it was a powerful reaffirmation of unity. Bound by a shared commitment to uphold the Constitution and protect our democracy, the gathering radiated camaraderie, mutual respect and unwavering resolve," read a post with photos by Congress on X.

The leaders of the Opposition parties, including Akhilesh Yadav, Sharad Pawar and MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, attend the dinner.

Sonia Gandhi-Jaya Bachchan Friends Again

What has caught the attention is a picture shared by the Congress in which senior leader Sonia Gandhi and SP Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bachchan are seen in an interaction.

Thus indicating that frostiness between the Gandhi and Bachchan families may have ended.

Last year, Sonia Gandhi had rallied behind Jaya, who had objected to remarks made by former Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar, saying his "tone is not acceptable" when addressing certain lawmakers.

As per a News18 report, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had a key role in bringing the two leaders closer.

Gandhi-Bachchan Friendship

Did you know, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi reportedly used to call Amitabh Bachchan "mamun"-(maternal uncle) which showed the bond that the two powerful families shared once.

A Friendship Forged in Allahabad

As per historical accounts, "Nightingale of India" Sarojini Naidu had introduced poet Harivansh Rai and Teji Bachchan to Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi at Anand Bhawan, the Nehru-Gandhi family residence in Allahabad. This sparked a camaraderie that spanned over seven decades and three generations.

Sonia Gandhi herself has been quoted in multiple reports saying: "Mummy (Indira) had asked me to stay with the Bachchans [before her wedding] so that I could learn Indian customs and culture from close up. Slowly I came to learn a lot from that family. Teji aunty is my second... No, my third mother. My first mother is in Italy and the other was my mother-in-law Mrs Indira Gandhi, the third is Teji Aunty. Amit and Bunty [Ajitabh] are my brothers."

It is reported that before marrying Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia stayed at the Bachchans' home and was personally received at Delhi Airport in January 1968 by Amitabh whom she fondly called Amit.

Political and Personal Ties

The families stood by each other in times of crisis. Days after Indira Gandhi's assassination in 1984, Amitabh canvassed in Allahabad as a Congress candidate, winning by a massive margin. Although he resigned three years later, the connection remained visible-most notably when Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in 1991. Amitabh, then in London, returned with Rahul Gandhi from Boston and reportedly helped with funeral arrangements alongside Priyanka Gandhi.

While the exact cause of the split remains unclear, News18 reports that many believe the Gandhis felt abandoned during the Bofors scandal.

After Amitabh Bachchan's ABCL suffered huge losses, the Gandhis did to extend their helping hand and Jaya had registered her unhappiness publicly, according to a report in NDTV. It was late Amar Singh who came to Big B's rescue. The rift between the two families started widening thereafter.

Jaya Bachchan, at an election meeting in 2004, had taken a dig at Gandhis by saying, "Those who brought us into politics left us midway. They left us when we were in a crisis. They are known to betray people."

Rahul Gandhi had responded to her comments by saying, "The Bachchans are lying. Why are they levelling the charge now after so many years? Amitabh was introduced to politics two decades ago. They have changed loyalties. Those who know the Gandhi family know we've never betrayed anyone. People know better about who betrayed whom. People also know who their loyalties are with."

Big B too had reportedly made these remarks, as per NDTV: "They (the Gandhi family) are the rajas (rulers) and we (the Bachchans) are runk (subjects). Any continuation of the relationship depends on the rulers' mood. Now, they accuse my family of lying." Amitabh's proximity to late Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray did not help the cause.

Several instances added fuel to the rift. In 2005, Bachchan was issued a Rs 4.5 crore income tax notice when he was hospitalised. Months later, the Income Tax department visited his house seeking Income Tax details about his ABCL company.

Big B's friendship with Narendra Modi (then Chief Minister of Gujarat) did not go well with the Congress. The Mega Star had become the brand ambassador of Gujarat tourism.

The Congress government in Maharashtra had accused Amitabh Bachchan of owning agricultural land near Pune. The actor justified purchasing the land saying he is a farmer with eight hectares of land at Lonavala. The matter reached a UP court which stated in a order that Bachchan is not a farmer just because he owns agricultural land in Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh.

Cut to 2025, the three-decade rift seems to have ended as Jaya and Sonia are seen sharing a warm relationship now.