New Delhi: Meghalaya had a unique distinction in the Lok Sabha on Thursday as one newly-elected MP from the State was administered the oath of office by the other MP from the State.

Congress MP from, Shillong Vincent H. Pala was administered the oath by NPP veteran Purno A. Sangma as Chairman of the newly elected Lok Sabha, amid a thundering applause from members cutting across party lines. Sangma himself is the newly-elected MP from Tura seat.

The two political rivals – Pala and Purno – then shook hands after the oath-taking ceremony was over. Purno, himself a former Lok Sabha speaker, was administered oath earlier since he is one of the senior most MPs to become the Chairman for the oath-taking event.

Interestingly, Pala wanted to take oath in his mother tongue but could not since it is not recognized under the 8th schedule of the Constitution.

Meghalaya had created history during last term of the Lok Sabha when both Pala and Agatha Sangma, daughter of Purno, elected as Lok Sabha M.Ps, became Union Ministers on the same day.

It was bonhomie all around as a sizeable chunk of members of the newly-elected 16th Lok Sabha including Prime Minister Narendra Modi took oath on Thursday. The new House has over 300 first timers – including Modi – and witnessed a festive mood with members donning traditional dresses and head gears and many taking oath in their mother tongue.

The Prime Minister was the first to take oath in Hindi and was followed by BJP veteran L K Advani, several of his Cabinet colleagues and Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Several Union ministers took oath in Hindi but Sushma Swaraj, Uma Bharti and Harsh Vardhan did it in Sanskrit.