Raj MLAs drive lucky vehicles to first day in Assembly

The maiden session of the 15th Assembly in Rajasthan kicked off on Tuesday with the newly elected MLAs arriving barefoot and by a tractor. Senior BJP MLA Gulab Chand Kataria, who was made protem speaker, administered the oath of office to the MLAs.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot and MLAs from the BJP and the Congress took oath on the first day of assembly. Gehlot took his oath in Hindi, while a few BJP members took their oaths in Sanskrit.

The MLAs chose different modes of commute to mark their first day in assembly. Calling it his lucky mascot, Baljeet Yadav, an Independent MLA from Behrod, came driving a tractor. MLA Om Prakash Hudla from Mahuwa came barefoot. What amused everyone was the entry of Krishna Poonia, who arrived in her sportswear and a medal around her neck.

Key bills

According to sources, the assembly may sit for nine days. In the current session, bills related to the direct election of mayor and chairpersons of local bodies will be tabled. Another bill to repeal the law prescribing minimum educational qualification for contesting elections to the Panchayati Raj institutions, which was enacted by the previous BJP government in 2015, may be introduced.

A source at the assembly told DH, "As of now six MLAs have listed over 100 questions related to loan waiver, swine flu, illegal mining of bajri, PHED, reopening of schools closed by previous government and issues of farmers."

Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje was also present.

Joshi is new speaker

Senior Congress leader C P Joshi is set to become the new speaker. He will be elected on Wednesday. A former union minister, 68-year-old Joshi has been elected from Nathdwara constituency. He was a Member of Parliament from Bhilwara in the 15th Lok Sabha and had served as the Union Minister For Road Transport and Highways from 2009 to 2013.

For the first time, the assembly secretariat will webcast live the proceedings of the House on its official site.