New Delhi, All eyes are on the new Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh Narayan Singh. This veteran journalist has worn many caps and has multiple feathers on this cap. This ground-to-earth man was NDA’s candidate for the post of Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha.
It was concluded way ahead before the voting began in Rajya Sabha that Harivansh Narayan Singh will be the chosen one. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, who is also Biju Janata Dal (BJD) President, had made it clear on Wednesday itself that his party will support the NDA candidate Harivansh Narayan Singh in the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson’s election on Thursday.
This support was important as both the UPA and NDA don’t have a majority in the upper house. BJD has nine MPs in the Rajya Sabha. The opposition parties have fielded Congress MP B.K. Hariprasad.
Here are some lesser known facts about the new Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha:
1. Harivansh Narayan Singh has been a Rajya Sabha member of the Janata Dal(United) since 2014.
2. Harivansh Narayan Singh, 62, is the former editor-in-chief of Hindi daily Prabhat Khabar, which for years championed the cause of special category status for Bihar. this has been a key demand of Nitish Kumar. After being elected to the post of Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi said that since he has been a journalist his impartial views will be of great help to the House.
3. Harivansh Singh is the first-time parliamentarian and was given a seat in the Rajya Sabha by Nitish Kumar’s party in 2014 and has a tenure till 2020.
4. The former scribe is described as a candidate who has friends across the political spectrum. This is an important qualification to manage the House.
5. Harivansh Narayan Singh was earlier PRO for former prime minister Chandrashekhar and is also said to be his favourite. PM Narendra Modi said today that Harivansh Narayan Singh has been blessed with the talent of writing. He was also a favourite of former PM Chandra Shekhar, he mentioned.
