Rajya Sabha oath: Tarun Chugh, 6 others sworn in as Upper House members
Synopsis
Seven members took oath in the Rajya Sabha on 29 June, with BJP fielding five new faces across Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Manipur, and Rajasthan. The ceremony was also the occasion for Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge's re-entry into the Upper House — where he immediately signalled a combative Opposition stance ahead of the Monsoon Session.
Key Takeaways
Radhakrishnan administered the oath to seven Rajya Sabha members at Parliament House on 29 June .
Tarun Chugh (BJP, Madhya Pradesh), Jitendra Meghjibhai Kanzariya and Mansingh Meraman Parmar (BJP, Gujarat), M.
Nagaraja (BJP, Karnataka), Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi (BJP, Manipur), and Alka Singh (BJP, Rajasthan) were among those sworn in.
Rajendra Hiralal Jain (NCP, Maharashtra) also took oath as part of the group.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge was separately sworn in after being re-elected from Karnataka .
Sonia Gandhi , Priyanka Gandhi Vadra , J.P.
Nadda , Kiren Rijiju , and Arjun Ram Meghwal were present at the ceremony.
Kharge pledged stronger Opposition coordination ahead of the forthcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament .
Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan administered the oath of office to seven newly elected and re-elected members of the Upper House at Parliament House in New Delhi on Monday, 29 June, marking a significant reshuffle in the composition of the House.
Who Took the Oath
Tarun Chugh was sworn in as a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rajya Sabha member from Madhya Pradesh. Jitendra Meghjibhai Kanzariya and Mansingh Meraman Parmar took oath as BJP members from Gujarat, while M. Nagaraja was sworn in as a BJP member from Karnataka.
Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi (also known as Maimom Sharda Devi) took oath as a BJP member from Manipur, and Alka Singh was sworn in as a BJP member from Rajasthan. Rajendra Hiralal Jain was administered the oath as a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) member from Maharashtra.
Tarun Chugh's Pre-Oath Visit
Ahead of the swearing-in, Tarun Chugh visited the historic Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib in New Delhi. 'Today, I have to take the oath as a Rajya Sabha member. Before that, I went to the historic Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib, bowed my head and sought blessings,' he told reporters.
Kharge Re-Elected, Takes Fresh Oath
Earlier in the day, Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge was also sworn in as a Rajya Sabha member after being re-elected to the Upper House from Karnataka. The oath was administered by Vice President Radhakrishnan in his chamber at Parliament.
Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were present at the ceremony. Senior leaders including Health Minister and Leader of the House J.P. Nadda, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, and Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh were also in attendance.
Kharge's Statement on Opposition Role
Following the oath, Kharge posted on X: 'It is a matter of immense pride and responsibility to continue serving this august Upper House as the Leader of the Opposition.' He thanked Vice President Radhakrishnan, Deputy Chairman Harivansh, Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress MPs, and party workers for their support.
Kharge also expressed gratitude to floor leaders of all political parties, particularly allies in the INDIA bloc, and called for stronger coordination during the forthcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament to hold the government accountable. 'We will continue to raise the burning concerns, aspirations and voices of the people with sincerity, conviction and determination,' he said.
Point of View
Which elect Rajya Sabha members. More significant, however, is Kharge's re-entry: as Congress chief and Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House, his combative post-oath messaging — explicitly targeting the Monsoon Session — signals that the Opposition intends to use Parliament as its primary arena. With the INDIA bloc's coordination still uneven, whether that intent translates into legislative pressure remains the real question.
NationPress
29 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who took oath as Rajya Sabha members on 29 June 2025?
Seven members were sworn in: Tarun Chugh (BJP, Madhya Pradesh), Jitendra Meghjibhai Kanzariya and Mansingh Meraman Parmar (BJP, Gujarat), M. Nagaraja (BJP, Karnataka), Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi (BJP, Manipur), Alka Singh (BJP, Rajasthan), and Rajendra Hiralal Jain (NCP, Maharashtra). Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge was also sworn in separately after his re-election from Karnataka.
Who administered the oath to the new Rajya Sabha members?
Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan administered the oath at Parliament House, New Delhi. The oath for Mallikarjun Kharge was administered in the Vice President's chamber.
Why did Tarun Chugh visit Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib before the oath?
Tarun Chugh visited Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib to seek blessings before his swearing-in. He told reporters he bowed his head at the historic Gurdwara ahead of taking oath as a Rajya Sabha member from Madhya Pradesh.
What did Mallikarjun Kharge say after taking oath as Rajya Sabha member?
Kharge posted on X that it was 'a matter of immense pride and responsibility' to continue serving as Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House. He also called for stronger coordination within the INDIA bloc during the forthcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament.
Who was present at Mallikarjun Kharge's oath-taking ceremony?
Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra attended the ceremony. Senior government figures including J.P. Nadda, Kiren Rijiju, Arjun Ram Meghwal, and Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh were also present.
