New Delhi: Union Textiles Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Piyush Goyal has been appointed as the Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha.
Goyal, who was earlier the Deputy Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha, has been a member of the Upper House since 2010.
He replaces former Union minister Thawar Chand Gehlot, who was earlier on Sunday sworn in as the 19th Governor of Karnataka succeeding Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala.
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Gehlot, 73, resigned as the Union Minister for Social Justice and a member of the Rajya Sabha before assuming his new role.
The appointment of Goyal, who holds key ministerial posts such as Textiles, Commerce and Industry and Consumer Affairs, assumes significance as he has played an active role in the BJP’s efforts to hold talks with opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha over the past two years. .
Goyal’s appointment comes ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament beginning July 19.
The Congress-led opposition is expected to corner the central government over high inflation apart from tackling the Covid-19 pandemic in Parliament’s monsoon, which will end with 19 trading days on August 13.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who took stock of the preparations for the upcoming session on Monday, said the timing of the session would be from 11 am to 6 pm for both the Houses of Parliament.
The session will be held with all necessary protocols courtesy the raging Covid-19 situation in both the Houses of Parliament. Accordingly, arrangements are being made to accommodate Members of Parliament (MPs) on the basis of social distance.
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