Modi introduces council of ministers in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: On the first day of the 264th session of the Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday introduced his council of ministers to enthusiastic applause and desk thumping. Present in the House were Leader of the House J.P. Nadda, Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi.

The session commenced following an address by President Droupadi Murmu to a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament. Her address was subsequently tabled in the Rajya Sabha. The House is expected to discuss and pass a Motion of Thanks in response to the President's address.

Additionally, six newly-elected MPs from Bihar, Jharkhand, and Madhya Pradesh were sworn in as members of the upper House. Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar welcomed the new members, including Congress’s Akhilesh Prasad Singh (Bihar), Sarfaraz Ahmad of JMM, and Pradip Kumar Varma of the BJP (both Jharkhand). BJP leaders Banshilal Gurjar, Maya Naroliya, and Balyogi Umeshnath from Madhya Pradesh also took their oaths. All BJP members and the lone Congress member took their oaths in Hindi.

Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar also announced the appointment of Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda as the Leader of the House.