Sonia Gandhi takes oath as Lok Sabha member in Hindi; gets cheered by BJP benches

While there was a loud thumping of desks by the Congress members, voices were heard from the BJP benches "greeting" Sonia Gandhi "for taking oath in Hindi".

New Delhi: United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chief Sonia Gandhi, who has been elected to the Parliament from Rae Bareli constituency, took oath as member of the 17th Lok Sabha on Tuesday, the second day of the maiden session of the Lower House. Gandhi who retained her turf Rae Bareli in the high-stake Lok Sabha elections, took her oath in Hindi. While there was a loud thumping of desks by the Congress members, voices were heard from the BJP benches "greeting" Sonia Gandhi "for taking oath in Hindi", news agency PTI reported. Her son and Congress President Rahul Gandhi appeared to be capturing the moment on his mobile phone from the opposition benches. Rahul took oath as the Lok Sabha member on Monday in the afternoon.

Congress Parliamentary Party leader Smt. Sonia Gandhi takes oath as a member of the 17th Lok Sabha. pic.twitter.com/JcxOxG9JXl

— Congress (@INCIndia) June 18, 2019

Immediately after Gandhi, BJP MP and former minister Maneka Gandhi was administered the oath and she and her sister-in-law  Sonia Gandhi greeted each other with folded hands. Maneka Gandhi was elected from Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh. Her son Varun Gandhi, who was elected from Pilibhit, also took oath. Alphabetical order is followed for states in administering oath to their members. The maiden session of 17th Lok Sabha commenced on Monday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and Transport and Highways minister Nitin Gadkari among the prominent members who took oath on the first day.