The post for the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman was given to the NDA candidate from JD(U) Harivansh Narayan Singh. On Wednesday, Singh was elected as the Deputy Chairman after winning 125 votes in the Upper House.
Opposition’s candidate and senior Congress leader B. K. Hariprasad received only 105 votes. The duties of the Deputy Chairman include taking over the Chairman’s work in his absence. At present, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu is the Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated his candidate. He was quoted as saying, “He had earlier run a column on how the parliamentarians of the country should work. Little did he know that he will one day be the Deputy Chairperson of the House. We all will benefit from his experience.”
This position has been empty since June this year after the retirement of Congress member P. J. Kurien. Mr. Kurien was elected as the Deputy Chairman of the Upper House from Kerala.
