MLAs’ best foot forward

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 24

The maiden session of the 15th Vidhan Sabha saw the monochrome days getting over! It was all spring colours, visible in the turbans, jackets and silk kerchiefs that were on full display on the treasury benches where Congress MLAs were seated and first three rows of the Opposition benches where the Aam Aadmi Party MLAs were seated.

The monochrome deep blue turbans (of the Akali Dal) were decimated to just three rows of the Opposition benches. While Congress MLAs were seen revelling under the leadership of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and AAP MLAs under Leader of Opposition HS Phoolka, the Akali MLAs were left to brave the 77 Congressmen, 20 AAP MLAs and two Lok Insaf Party MLAs -- the formidable Bains brothers -- by themselves.

Akali Dal president and leader of party in the House Sukhbir Singh Badal and the party's chief patron Parkash Singh Badal were conspicuous by their absence on the day when all other MLAs took oath. Bikram Singh Majithia and deputy leader of the party Ajit Singh Kohar led the party’s team.

The day also saw the “ambitious” Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu quickly jump and sit on the Chief Minister's seat after Capt Amarinder Singh left the session for the day, only to be prodded by his own party's MLAs and later the Vidhan Sabha staff to vacate the seat.

But Sidhu, who got a seat next to the CM’s, did make it a point to assume Amarinder’s role of meeting and greeting all party MLAs who went to take oath, after the CM left the House after one-and-a-half-hour as he had to attend important official meetings.

Sidhu also got warm hugs from his once allies Bains brothers, who will now sit across him.

The House, which saw some bitter battles in the last Vidhan Sabha and comprises MLAs who fought one of the most acerbic political battles the state ever witnessed, saw some bonhomie today. Almost all Akali MLAs greeted Amarinder and other Congress and AAP leaders. The Congress leaders, too, paid their respects to all senior leaders of their as well as opposition parties.

Among AAP MLAs, only Sukhpal Singh Khaira wished leaders of the ruling Congress, Akali Dal and the BJP. Others just took oath and went back to the seat. The young and first-time MLAs were all seen taking blessings from their seniors

The first person to take oath was the Chief Minister, followed by his Cabinet colleagues in order of seniority, the Leader of Opposition and then MLAs from constituencies selected in alphabetical order.

Most of the MLAs took oath in Punjabi, although a few like Minister Aruna Chaudhary took oath in English.

AAP MLA from Kotkapura Kultar Singh Sandhwan first touched the ground before taking oath, while Congress MLA Amarinder Singh Raja Warring took off his shoes before he climbed on to the Speakers pedestal to take oath.