New Delhi:
It was a sombre ceremony at the Ashoka Hall in Rashtrapati Bhavan as 59 new parliamentarians took oath as ministers on Thursday -- but for a few eager MPs who unwittingly evoked much laughter.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who was sworn in as minister of state with independent charge, walked away before remembering the customary signing of the register. As the hall erupted in laughter, Ramesh sat down with a smile and signed with a flourish.
A few minutes later, the august gathering again broke into laughter when Congress MP V Narayanasamy made a pleading gesture to President Pratibha Patil so she would wait for a few seconds as he was not ready with his papers to read out the oath.
The President had started speaking before Narayanasamy could begin. The former laughed and the gathering guffawed.
There was a slip-up yet again. Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Ray started taking the oath before the president could begin. Ray, who seemed to be in a tearing hurry then paused, as everyone was in splits.
Even party chief Mamata Banerjee, who was watching the one-and-a-half hour long ceremony rather seriously, had a smile on her lips.