‘An uncommon handshake’: Rahul Gandhi congratulates BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy on club poll win | Video

Rajiv Pratap Rudy, a five-time MP from Bihar, won the Constitution Club election for the secretary (administration) post last week.

Updated on: Aug 20, 2025, 16:56:14 IST

By HT News Desk

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Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday congratulated BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy on winning the election for a key post in the Constitution Club of India. The Congress MP shook hands with the BJP MP outside the Parliament, calling it “an uncommon handshake”.

While speaking with reporters outside the Parliament, Rahul greeted Rudy and shook hands with the BJP MP. (Rahul Singh)

A five-time MP from Bihar, Rudy registered a victory in the Constitution Club election for the secretary (administration) post last week. Rudy defeated fellow BJP leader and former Union minister Sanjeev Balyan to secure the post.

While speaking with reporters outside the Parliament, Rahul greeted Rudy and shook hands with the BJP MP. “An uncommon handshake between BJP. Congratulations, by the way,” the Wayanad MP told Rudy.

Rudy, who has been at the helm of the club for over two decades now, received 391 votes as against Balyan's 291 votes. The club has 1200 members, of which 707 members cast their votes.

These included Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President JP Nadda, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, PA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, and other union ministers.

The handshake came on a day when chaos unfolded in Parliament, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah tabling three Bills. These include the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, The Jammu & Kashmir Reorganization (Amendment) Bill and The Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill .

The Bills propose that a sitting minister, chief minister, and or even the prime minister can be removed from their position within a month if they are arrested or detained for 30 days straight for an offence which carries a jail term for five years or more.

The Bills will introduce a new legal framework which will apply to ministers and CMs in states and Union territories such as Jammu and Kashmir, and Union ministers and the PM at the Centre.

The Bills were opposed by the Opposition, including AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, following which sloganeering ensued, with the Lok Sabha Speaker adjourning proceedings till 3 pm.

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HT News Desk
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