Nine new members take oath in Rajya Sabha

Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma and eight other members recently elected or re-elected to the Rajya Sabha took oath or affirmation of allegiance to the Constitution on Monday.

Sharma, Deputy Leader of the Congress in Rajya Sabha, was recently re-elected to the Upper House from Himachal Pradesh. He took affirmation of allegiance to the Constitution in English and then went to Chairman Hamid Ansari who warmly shook his hands and said “welcome back.”

Others who took oath included Pratap Singh Bajwa, Congress leader from Punjab who was accommodated in Upper House by the party after Amrinder Singh was made head of party in the state. Bajwa sweared in the name of God in English.

Naresh Gujral (SAD), who too was re-elected to the Upper House, took oath in English.

Besides Bajwa and Gujral, others who were elected from Punjab – Shamsher Singh Dullo (Cong) and Shwatt Malik (BJP) – also took oath. From Assam, Ripun Bora and Ranee Narah (Cong) took oath in English, swearing in the name of God. K Somaprasad (CPI-M) who was elected to RS from Kerala, too took oath. Jharna Das Baidya (CPI-M), re-elected to Upper House from Tripura, also took oath.

Members after taking oath or affirmation of allegiance to the Constitution went up to Ansari to greet him. Ansari  extended a cordial welcome to the new members of the House.