PM exchanges pleasantries with Opposition leaders in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi

Amid the ongoing stalemate in both Houses of Parliament over the Vyapam and Lalit Modi row, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today exchanged pleasantries with opposition leaders in Rajya Sabha, in an apparent attempt to reach out to them.

Modi, who entered the Upper House during Question Hour just before Chairman Hamid Ansari adjourned the House amid uproar by Congress members and others, walked up to the opposition benches.

After the House was adjourned, he greeted former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and shook hands with him and then further walked up to Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad’s seat and shook hands with him too.

He also shook hands with Congress member Madhusudan Mistry, who had unsuccessfully contested against him from Vadodara Lok Sabha constituency of Gujarat, and also greeted deputy leader of Congress Anand Sharma with folded hands.

The Prime Minister also spent some moments with Congress member Karan Singh and stood with him for a while, before greeting Jairam Ramesh, standing three rows behind.

While moving back to the treasury benches, Modi met CPI leader D Raja on the way and then greeted his own party MPs.

As members were yet to move out of the House, Modi patted Vinay Katiyar on the back as he was standing in the aisle to leave.

Members from Gujarat also greeted him by bowing before him with some even touching his feet.

The attempt was seen as a move to break the ice with the opposition, which stalled parliamentary proceedings for the third day in a row demanding the resignation of Union Minister Sushma Swaraj and Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan Chief Ministers alleging their involvement in the Lalit Modi controversy and Vyaspam scam.

PTI