New Delhi: A video of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi offering a bottle of energy drink to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra during the INDIA bloc’s protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar went viral Tuesday.
In the video, Priyanka is seen taking the drink from Rahul, sniffing it, and taking a sip before returning it to her brother. The moment was recorded as Rahul, Priyanka, and other Congress leaders sat at the Akashvani Bhawan complex in central Delhi after being stopped from marching toward the Election Commission.
The BJP shared the video with a cryptic caption: “Reputation is so tarnished that forget the public, even the family doesn’t trust anymore.”
On social media, the bright-red carbonated energy drink drew much attention. “Rahul Gandhi drinking sting,” read a tweet, posted with a blushing emoji.
Others connected it to class.
“Sting is the energy drink for the working class, often labelled ‘chapri’ by the BJP ecosystem. Not everybody can shell out money for Diet Cokes and Monster. Rahul Gandhi is comfortable being one with the people, irrespective of class,” wrote a user.
Some even gave Rahul the title of ‘Sting Lover’.
The video was also met with some backlash. A user said that it was a “planned move” to connect with the “so-called Gen-Z cult”.
“Rahul Gandhi was seen drinking ‘sting’ energy drink today. Such a planned move to connect with the so-called Gen-Z cult. He didn’t realize it’s not a Gen-Z drink, but a chapri’s drink. Maybe he wants to connect with them only,” the post read.
How Sting stands out
Sting, which is owned by PepsiCo, was first launched in Vietnam in 2002 and introduced in Pakistan in 2010. The brand entered the Indian market in 2017 with a 250-ml can priced at Rs 50.
It soon matched the price of other cold drinks, launching the Rs 20 plastic bottle that is now a marker of the brand.
The packaging shift from cans to PET bottles lowered costs and expanded access via kirana stores and local outlets. The bright red colour helped the brand stand out on a shelf occupied by many other brands. Even today, Sting is the only energy drink brand at such a low price point.
Sting’s formula consists of caffeine, taurine, and B Vitamins. Over the years, Akshay Kumar and Ranveer Singh have been the face of the brand. The drink is one of PepsiCo India’s fastest-growing beverages and now captures 90 per cent of India’s energy drink market.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)
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