M. Venkaiah Naidu, Cabinet Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Urban Development and HUPA took charge of his new assignment as Parliamentary Affairs Minister in Parliament House in New Delhi today. He was welcomed in his office by the two Ministers of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar and Shri Prakash Javadekar along with the Secretary (Parliamentary Affairs) Shri Afzal Amanullah and senior ministry officials. Earlier in the morning, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu paid floral tributes to freedom fighter Veer Savarkar on his birth anniversary in Parliament house.
Speaking to media persons on assuming charge, Shri Naidu said that he will ensure smooth functioning of Parliament with the help of his two Ministers of State adopting the formula of 3 D’s, that is, discuss, debate and decide on all the issues of national interest without the fourth D i.e. disruption. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to debate on any issue of public importance and we are ready to go the extra mile to accommodate the opposition as far as debate and discussion is concerned”, he said. He informed that he has recommended to the President to appoint outgoing Parliamentary Affairs Minister and senior Congress leader Shri Kamal Nath as Protem Speaker being the senior most member in the new Lok Sabha now for over 31 years.
Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu also held a detailed meeting with the senior officers of the Ministry. Shri Afzal Amanullah, Secretary (Parliamentary Affairs) briefed him about the functioning of the Ministry and the related issues on working of the Ministry.
Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu became the BJP national president in 2003 from January 2003 to February 2004 and again for second term from July 2004. He is among the party`s prominent faces from southern India. This is his second stint as a Union Minister, after heading the Rural Development Ministry between September 30, 2000 and June 30, 2002 in Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. Hailing from a remote village named Chavatapalem in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, the 65-year-old leader is a Rajya Sabha member from neighbouring Karnataka. An experienced Parliamentarian, Shri Naidu was a member of various Parliamentary Committees including External Affairs and Finance and Vice-President of the Parliamentary Forum on Disaster Management among various positions held.