Modi bids emotional farewell to 37 retiring Rajya Sabha members
What's the story
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday delivered an emotional farewell address to the retiring members of the Rajya Sabha. He said, "This is an occasion that every two years immerses us in emotional moments in this House." The prime minister emphasized that there is "no full stop in politics," as he acknowledged the contributions of his colleagues who are moving on to other important responsibilities.
Retiring members
Retiring MPs from Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Bihar
The Prime Minister's farewell speech came as 37 MPs from various states are set to retire. The list includes Dr. Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad, Dr. Fauzia Tahseen Ahmed Khan, Priyanka Vickram Chaturvedi and Sharadchandra Govindrao Pawar from Maharashtra. Tamil Nadu's retiring members include NR Elango, P Selvarasu and M Thambidurai among others. West Bengal bids adieu to Saket Gokhale and Ritabrata Banerjee, while Bihar says goodbye to Amarendra Dhari Singh and Prem Chand Gupta.
Leadership praise
PM urges new MPs to learn from senior colleagues
In his address, PM Modi also praised senior parliamentarians such as Deve Gowda, Kharge and Sharad Pawar for their dedication and contribution to parliamentary proceedings. He urged new MPs to learn from them. "There are also some bitter...sweet experiences along the way. However, when such an occasion arises, it is natural that we rise above party lines and a common sentiment emerges among all of us that our colleagues are now moving forward for some other important responsibilities," he said.
Election challenges
Congress MLAs defy party orders in Rajya Sabha elections
The Prime Minister's speech came amid reports of Congress MLAs cross-voting in the recent Rajya Sabha elections. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured a clean sweep in Bihar, winning all five seats. It also won three of the four seats in Odisha. In Haryana, BJP candidate Sanjay Bhatia and Congress's Karamvir Singh claimed victory on one seat each. Rajya Sabha elections were held for just 11 seats after 26 candidates were elected unopposed.