Premier P.V. Narasimha Rao, has taken over as the leader of the house in the lower house of parliament (Lok Sabha).

Announcing this in the house, speaker Shivraj Patil said the parliamentary affairs minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, had written to him that Rao would be functioning as the leader. “I formally declare Rao as the leader of the house”, he said.

Since doubts had been expressed in certain quarters about the leadership, Patil said he was formally informing the house that the prime minister would be functioning as the leader.

Human Resources minister Asjun Singh had been appointed the leader of the house as Rao was not a member of the house. Rao has been elected to the house from Nandyal in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

Article extracted from this publication >> December 13, 1991