Union Minister Arun Jaitley
Union Minister and leader of the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley attended the House on Thursday and participated in the election for the post of Deputy Chairman. Congratulating Harivansh after his election as Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Jaitley pointed out that Harivansh never criticised anyone during his speeches in the House.
"Harivanshji has always spoken in the House with complete preparedness, even during his initial years as a member of the House. I am confident that Harvanshji will take forward the prestige of the House and that it will function more effectively from now on," Jaitley said.
Jaitley has been a Rajya Sabha lawmaker since 2000 and had stopped attending office in the beginning of April. He stepped aside as the finance minister in May to undergo a kidney transplant.
The charge of his ministry was then handed over to Minister for Railways and Coal Piyush Goyal on an interim basis.
The Union minister is likely to resume office in the third week of this month, a source said. His resumption of office would not require any fresh oath as he has continued to be in the Council of Ministers of the Narendra Modi government as a minister without portfolio.
The Union minister was re-elected to the Upper House from Uttar Pradesh in March.
