Varun, Rahul greet their aunts

They may be on opposite sides of the political divide but that did not come in the way of exchanging basic courtesy -- exchanging greetings and smile.

BJP MP from Pilibhit Varun Gandhi greeted his aunt and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi with folded hands before taking oath as Lok Sabha member while his cousin and Congress MP from Amethi Rahul Gandhi greeted his aunt Maneka Gandhi on Tuesday.

While the Congress president was visibly happy watching Varun read out his oath in Hindi, Maneka had a broad smile when Rahul took oath in English.

Maneka also thumped the desk as Rahul was sworn in as a member.

Varun became a member for the first time after he won the Pilibhit seat, represented by his mother Maneka earlier, in the elections last month.

As Varun Feroze Gandhi, the name by which he was called to take oath, came forward, he did a 'namaste' to his aunt who was seated in the front row of the treasury benches.

Priyanka Gandhi, who was in the Speaker's Gallery along with husband Robert Vadra, was also seen smiling as the member from Pilibhit took oath.

Rahul also greeted Leader of the Opposition L K Advani and other BJP leaders and extended the same gesture to Maneka, who was seated in the second row of opposition benches, from a distance.

Priyanka and Robert Vadra left the gallery after Varun and Rahul took oath.