New Delhi, August 04: Electrifying the Opposition benches, veteran JD (U) leader George Fernandes made his maiden entry in the Rajya Sabha this noon.
Mr Fernandes, who has been elected from Bihar in the byelection caused by the resignation of JD (U) President Sharad Yadav, can barely walk or talk because of his age and indifferent health and was helped to his seat by his Janata Dal (United) colleagues Shivanand Tiwari and others.
His entry electrified almost all the leaders in the Opposition benches who greeted the veteran leader individually introducing themselves starting from CPI-M leader Brinda Karat, D Raja and several BJP MPs including Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley, Shanta Kumar and Ravishankar Prasad and Industrialist Rahul Bajaj and RJD MP Rajniti Prasad.
Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari who normally doesn’t sit in the afternoon made it point to administer oath/affirmation to the veteran leader.
Mr Shivanand Tiwari read out the contents of the oath to complete the formality with Mr Fernandes endorsing the contents read out by his colleague. The entire House greeted the veteran leader’s entry by thumping their desks.
–Agencies