Patil, Jaya take oath as elders

Anil Ambani, M Venkaiah Naidu, Mayawati, Jaswant Singh and Najma Heptullah were among 51 who took oath as members of the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu, BSP supremo Mayawati, Leader of Opposition in the House Jaswant Singh, former Deputy Chairperson Najma Heptullah, Industrialist Anil Ambani and actress Jaya Bachchan were among 51 who took oath as members of the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

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Senior BJP leaders Murli Manohar Joshi, Pramod Mahajan and Arun Shourie as well as Congress leaders Ambika Soni, Oscar Fernandes and Jairam Ramesh also took oath.

Naidu and Joshi took oath in Sanskrit.

Bollywood's superstar Amitabh Bachchan, his son Abhishek Bachchan and Ambani's wife Tina were among those who watched proceedings from the visitors' gallery.

Immediately after taking oath, Jaya Bachchan touched the feet of Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh.

Jaswant Singh bowed before Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat after taking oath.

Amidst laughter, Joshi who shook hands with Arjun Singh after taking oath was asked to repeat the act by Congress member Suresh Pachauri. Joshi then shook hands with Singh again.

Gyan Singh Pilania took oath sitting on a wheel chair. A secretariat official went to him and took his signature.

Welcoming the new members, Shekhawat said he hoped they would maintain high standards of debate and enhance the dignity and prestige of the House.