Chidambaram, Harbhajan Singh and others take oath as Rajya Sabha members

New Delhi, July 18 (IANS): Twenty-seven newly elected Rajya Sabha members, including former Union ministers P Chidambaram and Praful Patel, cricketer Harbhajan Singh, took oath on Monday. One nominated member V. Vijayendra Prasad also took oath. Some of the prominent names who took oath are RJD’s Misha Bharti, Congress’ Rajeev Shukla, Ranjeet Ranjan, Randdep Singh Surjewala, Pramod Kumar, BJD’s Dr Sasmit Patra and Independent Kapil Sibal.

Fifty-seven members were elected to the Rajya Sabha during the recent biennial polls. Others who were also elected in the recent biennial polls have taken the oath earlier.

Rajya Sabha also made obituary references on passing away of former Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe, legendary Santoor player Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, former members Kishore Kumar Mohanty, Robert Kharshiing and K.K. Veerappan, President of the UAE and the ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and third President of Kenya Mwai Kibaki.