Rajya Sabha swears in 19 new members, 5 more including Nitish Kumar to follow

In a ceremony marked by both ceremony and political symbolism, 19 newly elected members took oath in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, adding fresh voices to India’s Upper House of Parliament . Among the most closely watched figures was NCP-SCP patriarch Sharad Pawar , who arrived in a wheelchair , a powerful reminder of a political career that has spanned more than five decades and weathered many phases of Indian politics.

The oath was administered by Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan , in the presence of Deputy Chairman Harivansh and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju . Floor leaders from several parties were also present, giving the ceremony a sense of cross-party significance .

The newly sworn-in MPs represented four states, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Odisha , reflecting the federal character of the Upper House. BJP leader Maya Chintaman Ivnate was the first to take oath. Many members chose to take the oath in their native regional languages , highlighting the linguistic diversity that Parliament represents.

From Maharashtra , those sworn in included Union Minister Ramdas Athawale , Ramrao Sakharam Wadkute of the BJP, and Jyoti Nagnath Waghmare of the Shiv Sena. Tamil Nadu sent six members representing parties such as the DMK, Congress, AIADMK, DMDK and PMK, including senior leaders M Thambidurai and Anbumani Ramadoss .

In West Bengal , four of the five new MPs belonged to the Trinamool Congress, including Babul Supriya Baral, Menaka Guruswamy, Rajeev Kumar and Rukmini Mallik . Odisha ’s new representatives included Manmohan Samal of the BJP, Santrupt Mishra of the BJD, and independent member Dilip Kumar Ray . Chairman Radhakrishnan congratulated the newly elected members after the ceremony concluded.

Attention will now shift to a second oath-taking ceremony scheduled for April 10 , when five newly elected members from Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, BJP National President Nitin Nabin , RLM chief Upendra Kushwaha , Union Minister Ramnath Thakur and first-time MP Shivesh Kumar , are expected to take oath.

Among them, Nitish Kumar’s entry into the Rajya Sabha carries major political significance . The JD(U) chief , who has served multiple terms as Bihar Chief Minister , is widely expected to step down officially from the post after taking the oath, paving the way for a new leadership in the state government. The BJP leadership and NDA allies are expected to collectively decide his successor, with political developments in Bihar likely to gather pace after April 14 .