16 May,2012 06:02 AM IST | | Agencies
Rekha's seat is in a row designated for nominated members. She was seen interacting with noted lyricist Javed Akhtar, who is seated in the same row. However, her contemporary, actor Jaya Bachchan was, meanwhile, seated in her new place in a different row.
There were reports claiming that she got her seat shifted to avoid being in the same camera frame as Rekha. Jaya Bachchan was earlier seated on seat 91, while Rekha was allotted seat 99, which was right behind her.
Jaya Bachchan, who is a Rajya Sabha member elected from UP on the Samajwadi Party ticket, however, said she wanted to change her seat because of the demise of party colleague Brij Bhushan Tiwari, who used to sit next to her.
Former Samajwadi Party leader and Bachchan's family friend Amar Singh refused to comment on reports of Jaya Bachchan's demand to change her seat.
"I don't want to say anything on why Jaya Bachchan changed her seat.
It's her own âSilsila'. Amitabh Bachchan is my friend and I have seen Rekha in his films. I congratulated her when I met her today. I don't have any personal equation with her though," he said.
The 57-year-old received a warm welcome as she came to take her oath, with several members warmly greeting her and talking to her. Rekha took her oath in English.
She sat in the house half way through question hour, and then made a quiet exit.u00a0Welcoming Rekha to parliament, Lalu Prasad said, "She's a great artist, we welcome her into our fraternity."