Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi shook hands in the Parliament on Wednesday, soon after the NDA candidate Om Birla was elected as the Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha.
In a video shared by news agency ANI, the two leaders can be seen congratulating Birla and then proceeded to smile at each other and shake hands. Following this, Gandhi, along with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and PM Modi, accompanied Birla to the chair.
Birla was elected as the Speaker of the lower house of the Parliament by a voice vote - the first in decades owing to a lack of consensus between the BJP-led NDA government and the Congress-led INDIA bloc opposition. Such an election for the post has been held only three times in history—1952, 1967, and 1976.
{{/usCountry}}Birla was elected as the Speaker of the lower house of the Parliament by a voice vote - the first in decades owing to a lack of consensus between the BJP-led NDA government and the Congress-led INDIA bloc opposition. Such an election for the post has been held only three times in history—1952, 1967, and 1976.
{{/usCountry}}The Congress had fielded Kodikunnil Suresh as its Lok Sabha Speaker candidate against BJP's Om Birla.
Congratulating Birla, Modi said that he looks forward to the Speaker's guidance for the next five years.
Also read: Newly elected Speaker Om Birla triggers row with Emergency remark
“Respected Speaker, it is the good fortune of the House that you are occupying this chair for the second time. I congratulate you and the entire House. I want to congratulate you on behalf of the House. It is a huge responsibility for you to sit on this post for the second time during the Amrit Kaal. With your experience, we hope that you will guide us for the next 5 years,” Modi told Birla while addressing the Lok Sabha.
Modi also asserted that the decisions taken under the presidency of Birla will be considered a “golden period” in parliamentary history.
“…The way you work as an MP is worth learning. Your style will inspire our young MPs. Your sweet smile keeps the entire House happy,” he said.
Meanwhile, Gandhi, who was clad in a white kurta pyjama, also congratulated Birla on behalf of the entire Opposition and INDIA alliance.
“This House represents the voice of India's people, and you are the final arbiter of that voice. The government has political power, but the opposition also represents the voice of India's people and this time, the opposition represents significantly more voice of the Indian people than it did last time,” the leader of the Opposition said.
Gandhi also said that the opposition would like to assist the Speaker in the functioning of the lower house.
“The opposition would like to assist you in doing your work. We would like the House to function often and well. Cooperation must happen based on trust. The voice of the Opposition must be allowed to be represented in this House…We are confident that by allowing the Opposition to speak, by allowing us to represent the people of India, you will do your duty of defending the Constitution of India,” he said.