NEW DELHI: Days after being elected to Rajya Sabha from Gujarat, BJP president Amit Shah took oath as the member of the Upper House of the Parliament today. Union Minister Smriti Irani also took oath, ANI said. As per PTI, Amit Shah has been elected to the Upper House for the first time. His entry in Rajya Sabha is likely to boost the party, where the BJP lacks majority. He has been a five-time MLA in Gujarat.
Even as this will be the first time for the BJP president, Smriti Irani has entered Rajya Sabha for the second time. Apart from these two, senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel retained his seat. His win was considered a major boost for the Congress, and a blow for BJP.
The party had made the candidature of Ahmed Patel a matter of prestige. As per ANI, the BJP had left no stone unturned to win all three seats from Gujarat. It had pitted Balwantsinh against Patel, hoping that his defeat would be a major setback for Congress president Sonia Gandhi since the latter is her political secretary.
On August 9, the Election Commission had announced results of all three seats after intense political developments. A total number of 176 MLAs voted in the elections, two votes of Congress MLAs Bhola Bhai Gohil and Raghav Bhai Patelwere declared invalid, the agency added.
