MPs turn up in myriad colours for farewell pic at old Parliament building

NEW DELHI: Dressed in colourful attire, members of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday got their group photograph clicked in the old Parliament building, hours before legislative proceedings shift to the new Parliament House.

Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, flanked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on either side, was seated on the inner courtyard of the old Parliament building.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Samajwadi Party Lok Sabha member 93-year-old Shafiq-ur-Rahman Barq, veteran leaders Sharad Pawar (NCP) and Farooq Abdullah (NC) and BJP president J P Nadda were among those seated in the first row.

Women members turned up in colourful sarees, while most of their male counterparts preferred white kurta-pyjamas with vibrant waist-coats for the photo-session.

The early morning session had some anxious moments as BJP Rajya Sabha member Narhari Amin fainted. Shah, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and some leaders rushed to his rescue. Officials were seen offering water to the 68-year-old Amin, who soon joined the group photo.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was seen standing in the second last row with Manish Tewari for company. Some members were seen squatting on the floor as members of the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha got their photographs clicked.

This was followed by a group photograph of Rajya Sabha members and later, a group photograph of Lok Sabha members.