India’s new parliament begins its journey
PTI, New Delhi
The 14th Lok Sabha of India yesterday began its first session that saw reversal of roles with the Congress-led alliance occupying treasury benches after a gap of over eight years and BJP along with supporting parties sitting in Opposition rows as new members took oath, marking start of the proceedings.Leader of the House and Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Leader of the Opposition LK Advani, former Prime Minister and NDA Chairman Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi were among the first to take oath as members. Veteran CPI-M leader Somnath Chatterjee, who was sworn in as the pro tem Speaker on Wednesday morning by President APJ Abdul Kalam, chaired the proceedings. Chatterjee, who is all set to be elected as the new Speaker on Friday, urged members to maintain high traditions of House and strengthen roots of Parliamentary democracy. Soon after the House assembled and national anthem was played, members stood in silence for a while to mark the solemn occasion of the first sitting of the House. Before announcing the panel of names to conduct the oath or affirmation to members, Chatterjee congratulated them on their election to the Lok Sabha. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who greeted Vajpayee, Advani and leaders of various parties soon after entering the House, is a member of the Rajya Sabha. Over hundred members including Cabinet Ministers, Ministers of State (Independent charge) and Ministers of State had taken oath when the House adjourned for lunch. RJD chief Laloo Prasad and NCP President Sharad Pawar, who are both Cabinet Ministers, occupied the front row of ruling benches. During the first session, the Speaker will be elected on June four followed by address to the joint sitting of Parliament by the President on June 07. Mukherjee, the Leader of the House, occupied the seat next to that of the Prime Minister, while Gandhi sat in the first row of treasury benches with senior party member ABA Ghani Khan Choudhary sitting by her side. Advani occupied the seat of Leader of the Opposition and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee sat next to him in the front row. Members of Congress and its allies were seen greeting Sonia Gandhi. Her son Rahul Gandhi occupied the third row behind his mother. Several film personalities including Dharmendra and Vinod Khanna (both BJP), Sunil Dutt (Congress) and Jayaprada (Samajwadi Party) were among the members present in the House.
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