Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that “in politics, there is no such thing as a full stop”, as the Rajya Sabha bid farewell to 59 Members retiring between April and July, including Deputy Chairman Harivansh, former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, and Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge.
Lauding their contributions, Mr. Modi urged the Members to remain active in public life. He singled out Mr. Deve Gowda, Mr. Kharge, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar and Mr. Harivansh for their commitment to parliamentary work, calling their long tenures “a matter of immense significance”. On Mr. Harivansh, the Prime Minister said he was “gentle and soft-spoken” yet a man of “rigorous action”, who travelled widely to engage with the youth and foster national consciousness.
Parliament Budget Session LIVE: PM Modi, LoP Kharge bid farewell to retiring Rajya Sabha MPs on completion of their terms
While Mr. Pawar has been renominated and Mr. Kharge expects another term, Mr. Harivansh will not return immediately, with the JD(U) nominating Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Union Minister Ramnath Thakur instead.
Congress MP Digvijaya Singh, also retiring, reiterated his opposition to disruptions in Parliament and flagged increasing communal tensions. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi, who has not been renominated, described the moment as a “pause” and said she hoped the early implementation of the Women Reservation Act would bring her back to the House in future.
Addressing the House, Mr. Kharge called for longer parliamentary sessions, greater cooperation between the Treasury and the Opposition benches, and a review of Rajya Sabha rules to strengthen democratic functioning. He warned that rising mistrust and frequent expunction of Opposition remarks diluted accountability and weakened institutions.
NDA wins nine Rajya Sabha seats from Bihar, Odisha, Haryana
Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan said the retirement of 59 Members marked both continuity and renewal in the Rajya Sabha, with one-third of the House changing every two years under the constitutional scheme. He described retirement as the start of new responsibilities, not an end, and said the experience of outgoing Members would continue to guide parliamentary work.
He highlighted the contributions of senior figures such as Mr. Deve Gowda, Mr. Kharge and Deputy Chairman Harivansh, praising the latter’s impartiality, calm leadership, and role in international parliamentary forums. The Chairman noted that the retiring Members had represented diverse regions and communities and enriched debates with their insights.