The Hindu : National : Fernandes takes oath

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Fernandes takes oath

Sujay Mehdudia

Photo: Shanker Chakravarty

Janata Dal (United) leader and Rajya Sabha MP George Fernandes being helped to enter Parliament House, in New Delhi on Tuesday.

NEW DELHI: George Fernandes, the firebrand trade unionist of yore, had to be assisted by party colleagues and marshals in taking oath as a Member of the Rajya Sabha.

Party colleague Shivanand Tiwari had to shout the oath of office in Mr. Fernandes’ ear. It was administered by Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari.

The frail leader, in his trademark unpressed kurta and pyjama, took the oath after the lunch break and was escorted into the House by his colleagues and House marshals.

By entering the Upper House, Mr. Fernandes went back on his own assertion that “socialists do not enter the Rajya Sabha” when he contested the Muzzafarpur Lok Sabha seat as an Independent despite advice to the contrary from Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

However, Mr. Fernandes lost his security deposit and garnering only 22,804 votes. And on Tuesday, he consented to occupy a seat vacated by Sharad Yadav, who had replaced him as Janata Dal (United) chief after a bitter inner-party fight.

Earlier, several members gathered around the socialist leader and congratulated him when he entered the House to take oath as member for the first time after nine stints in the Lok Sabha.

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