Of the 543 MPs in Lok Sabha, 280 are spanking new – into their first few months as Members of Parliament. Add to that the 166 MPs who have been in Rajya Sabha for less than a year. That’s 446 MPs (of the total 770 MPs) who could fondly be described as ‘newbies’ in Parliament. A warm welcome to each one of them. Wish I could have written a paragraph about each new parliamentarian. Since that can’t happen, let me introduce you to 12 new Opposition MPs to watch out for. I am sure each one of you reading this column can make your own lists of 12 new MPs. Here’s part one with six MPs.
Lok Sabha
1. Alfred Kanngam Arthur, INC, Manipur (51)
“If the Prime Minister cannot bring peace in a small state like mine, what will he manage in such a big country as ours”.
Sharp. Direct. Addressing the Speaker with the swagger of a veteran. Mr Kanngam Arthur is unplugged, unedited. He is one of the two Lok Sabha representatives from Manipur. He made a mark in his first speech Parliament, clearly articulating how he, as a member of the Naga community, the only neutral party in the conflict- must be utilised to instil peace and restore peace in Manipur.
2. Sayani Ghosh, AITC, West Bengal (31)
“Through their mandate for me, the people of Jadavpur have sent the message that Bengal has no place for the politics of hatred and manipulation”
Former actor. President of the youth wing of her party. She won from Jadavpur, the same seat won by her leader Mamata Banerjee 40 years ago. She is in the contingent of 11 women MPs from the Trinamool Congress in Lok Sabha. In her maiden speech, Ms Ghosh had the visible self-assuredness of a remarkably talented trilingual communicator.
3. Iqra Choudhary, SP, Uttar Pradesh (30)
“As a member who has till recently been a student, I would like to shed light on facets that aren’t as rosy as the government might think.”
Before she could be (predictably) patronised for her youth, Ms Choudhary, speaking on the Demands for Grants for the Ministry of Education, underlined the need to institutionally empower women in heavily patriarchal constituencies like the one she represents. Fascinating.
4. Chandra Shekhar Azad, ASP(KR), Uttar Pradesh (37)
“The country is as much theirs as ours. We weren’t born to die.”
A few political pundits believe he might turn out to be the post-Bahujan Samaj Party Dalit leader- a space that Ms Mayawati has given up. For now, his victory from Nagina has solidified Mr Azad’s evolution from activist to a people’s leader. Early days still, but as the only member from his party, built on one laser-focused argument: the Constitution is my only calling card. The blue scarf around his neck is a simple, powerful visual mnemonic that’s here to stay.
Rajya Sabha
5. Haris Beeran, IUML, Kerala (48)
“The President is an icon of women’s empowerment and determination. It is sad to see that the Government has forced her to read a script which is far from the truth.”
The Supreme Court lawyer from Kerala is the newest addition to the INDIA contingent in Rajya Sabha. Mr Beeran debuted by playing to his strengths. Clearly articulated views on the caste census, the new criminal laws and the enfranchisement rights for migrant workers. Sparkling start.
6. Sanjay Yadav, RJD, Bihar (40)
“This Budget is not for our sons. It is for the sons of the rich. This Budget is not for the weak and poor. It is for the strong and powerful. This Budget is not for the development of the marginalised. It is to ridicule them.”
Tejaswi Yadav’s trusted aide will certainly make his mark in the Council of States. Young, down to earth, well-educated with a deep understanding of his State, Bihar, he is bound to sparkle.
(In the next edition of this column Calling Attention, we will feature six more new Members of Parliament to watch out for)
Additional research: Varnika Mishra
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
