Yogi, Akhilesh and others take oath as MLAs amid bonhomie
On Monday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Leader of the Opposition Akhilesh Yadav exchanged compliments on the floor of the Uttar Pradesh legislature as they took their oaths as members.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath and leader of the opposition Akhilesh Yadav took oath as members of the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly on Monday amid exchange of compliments on the floor of the house.
The intense rivalry witnessed during the assembly election campaign was replaced by bonhomie as MLAs of BJP, SP, Congress, Apna Dal (S), Suheldev Bhartiya Janta Party (SBSP), Nishad Party, RLD and BSP assembled to take oath as members of the 18th Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly.
BJP members moved from the treasury bench to the opposition bench to greet SP MLAs, while the latter were seen moving to the treasury bench to welcome BJP members.
The change in the strength of political parties was clear in the new assembly as SP MLAs filled a majority of the opposition seats. Seats earlier occupied by MLAs of BSP, which has been reduced to single member, were occupied by RLD members sporting green scarves and SBSP member sporting yellow scarf.
The two members of the Congress were seated next to the SP MLAs. BJP allies Apna Dal and Nishad Party MLAs were seated between the opposition and BJP benches.
Leader of the house Yogi Adityanath was first to take oath, followed by Akhilesh Yadav. Pro-term speaker Ramapati Shastri administered the oath to both the leaders as well as the newly-elected members. After taking oath, Yogi shook hands with Akhilesh, who then went to the treasury bench to greet BJP members before talking oath.
Senior BJP leader Satish Mahana and deputy chief minister Brijesh Pathak were next to take oath. Later ministers and other members went took oath as the members of the assembly.
After taking oath, BJP members raised Jai Sri Ram, Bharat Mata ki Jai slogans and SP MLAs raised Jai Samajwad, Jai Kisan and Jai Jawan slogans.
While some BJP members took oath in Sanskrit, a few SP MLAs took oath in Urdu.
Earlier, addressing a press conference, Yogi welcomed all the newly-elected MLAs and expressed hope that they would discharge their duties in accordance with tradition and decorum of the house. “I hope all members will cooperate in the smooth functioning of the assembly for taking up issues of development of the state,” he said.
Akhilesh said the Samajwadi Party will play the role of a responsible opposition in the house.
The BJP-led NDA had secured a two-thirds majority winning 273 seats in the 403- member house while the SP-led opposition alliance managed to bag 125 seats.
