All in a Day: From surprise to bonhomie

Relative support

The Governor’s gallery was brimming with relatives of MLAs. Prominent among those present were former MLAs Tej Prakash, Charanjit Kaur Bajwa, Malkit Singh Dakha, Mohammad Sadique and Guriqbal Kaur Babli. Many of them were there to witness the oath-taking ceremony.

Surprise element

Outside the Assembly, just before the session began, MLAs talked of power shift. An Akali MLA from Doaba was heard talking of the police not listening to him, while a Congress MLA from Ludhiana was revelling in the new-found adulation and admiration the police and civil administration had for him! “Yakeen hi nahi ho reha (I can’t believe it),” the Congress MLA said. 

‘Amarinder chachaji’ 

SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia first shook hands with “chachaji” Capt Amarinder Singh after taking oath, and later accepted the greetings from his party colleagues.

Power dressing

Male legislators outdid their female counterparts in dressing. While six women MLAs looked rather dull and demure (in contrast to the fashionistas of the last Assembly), the men flashed the latest styles in kurtas and bright colours in turbans.