new delhi: Holding up a copy of the Constitution, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday took oath as a Lok Sabha MP to begin her journey as an elected representative of the people five years after she joined active politics.
The debutant MP, whose entry into the Parliament has long been a subject of speculation, said her priority would be to raise important issues concerning the nation and fight for the country and her party.
The 52-year-old, who joins her mother Sonia Gandhi and brother Rahul Gandhi as an MP in what is a rare instance of three members of a family together in the Parliament, took affirmation in Hindi.
The MP from Wayanad in Kerala held up a red and black copy of the Constitution, which Rahul has been displaying at his public meetings, as she took her oath.
Dressed in a cream Kasavu saree from Kerala, Priyanka rose to take oath amid cheers of ‘Jodo Jodo, Bharat Jodo’ from the Congress benches. She took oath with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, her mother and Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chief Sonia, husband Robert Vadra, son Raihan and daughter Miraya watching from the galleries.
Congress MPs earlier met at the CPP office on the Parliament premises where Priyanka was greeted and congratulated by leaders.
After taking the oath, Priyanka completed the formalities and then shared a warm hug with her brother and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul. She then went and sat in the fourth row with fellow Congress MPs.
Ravindra Chavan (Congress), who won the Nanded bypoll, also took oath in Marathi in the name of God.
The House was adjourned after the oaths as Opposition members came to the Well of the House and raised slogans, demanding a discussion on the Adani issue and
the Sambhal violence.
As MPs exited the House, leaders made a beeline to congratulate Priyanka and on the steps of the Makar Dwar. Congress MPs gathered as Rahul clicked a photograph of Priyanka with the Samvidhan Sadan in the background.
“It will strengthen Rahul Gandhi, the party and the principles of the Constitution because we are fighting for that,” she told reporters when asked about the impact of her entering the Parliament.
Asked about taking the oath holding up the Constitution, Priyanka said it signifies that “nothing is above the Constitution for us and we will continue to fight for it”.
Sharing a photograph with his mother Sonia and Priyanka, Rahul posted in Hindi on his WhatsApp channel, “Of the people, by the people, for the people - Jai Hind.”