Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge was reappointed as the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha with effect from June 26 and took oath as a newly-elected member of the Upper House on June 29, 2026. Seven other newly-elected Rajya Sabha members were also sworn in during proceedings held on Monday.
Following the oath-taking ceremony, Kharge reaffirmed the Opposition’s commitment to raising public concerns and strengthening coordination ahead of the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament.
Kharge Reappointed as Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha
Mallikarjun Kharge officially resumed his role as Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, with the reappointment taking effect from June 26.
After taking oath on Monday, June 29, 2026, Kharge thanked the Congress leadership for its support. He specifically acknowledged Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. He also expressed gratitude to Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan and Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh.
In addition, Kharge extended his greetings to members of the INDIA bloc and the broader Opposition.
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Focus on Monsoon Session and Government Accountability
Speaking after the ceremony, Kharge emphasized the importance of Opposition unity and coordination in the upcoming parliamentary session.
He said he was looking forward to “even stronger coordination” during the forthcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament to make “the government of the day more accountable”.
Highlighting the Opposition’s responsibilities, Kharge stated:
“We will continue to raise the burning concerns, aspirations and voices of the people with sincerity, conviction and determination. That remains our foremost responsibility, and I shall discharge it with the utmost commitment,”
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Oath Ceremony Held in Chairman’s Chamber
Kharge took his oath separately in the chamber of Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan.
During the ceremony, Radhakrishnan congratulated Kharge and said that the Upper House would benefit from his extensive experience in public life and parliamentary affairs.
Congress Leaders and Family Members Attend
Several senior Congress leaders were present during Kharge’s oath-taking ceremony, including:
- Sonia Gandhi
- Priyanka Gandhi Vadra
- K.C. Venugopal
- Mukul Wasnik
- Jairam Ramesh
- Syed Naseer Hussain
Members of Kharge’s family also attended the occasion, including his wife, daughter and granddaughter, along with the granddaughter’s spouse.
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Seven Newly-Elected Rajya Sabha Members Take Oath
Later in the day, Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan administered the oath to seven other newly-elected members in the Rajya Sabha chamber.
The members sworn in were:
- Mansingh Meraman Parmar
- Tarun Chugh
- Alka Singh
- Jitendra Meghjibhai Kanzariya
- Rajendra Hiralal Jain
- M. Nagaraja
- Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi
Members Take Oath in Multiple Languages
The newly-elected members took their oaths in different Indian languages.
- Four members took oath in Hindi.
- One member took oath in Kannada.
- One member took oath in Punjabi.
- One member took oath in Manipuri.
Representation from Six States
The seven members represent six different states across the country.
- Gujarat sent two members to the Rajya Sabha.
- Karnataka sent one member.
- Madhya Pradesh sent one member.
- Maharashtra sent one member.
- Manipur sent one member.
- Rajasthan sent one member.
Conclusion
The oath-taking ceremony marked the formal entry of eight newly-elected Rajya Sabha members, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. With his reappointment as Leader of Opposition now in effect, Kharge signaled a renewed focus on coordination among Opposition parties ahead of the Monsoon Session and reiterated his commitment to raising public concerns in Parliament.
