New Delhi, Jul 22 (IANS): One of the reasons said to be behind the exit of Jyotiraditya Scindia from the Congress was the rivalry between him and Digvijaya Singh, the two-time former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. On Wednesday the two came face to face during the oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected Rajya Sabha MPs.

"When they came across each other the two leaders greeted each other," said an eyewitness. Jyotiraditya Scindia also greeted Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mallikarjun Kharge who has also been elected to the Upper House.

Forty five members took oath but all eyes were on Jyotiraditya Scindia and Digvijaya Singh. The former's rebellion had led to the fall of the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh when Scindia along with his supporting MLAs joined the BJP.

Four months after the rebellion by Scindia the Congress is facing another rebellion in Rajasthan where former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot has herded his 18 MLAs into a plush hotel in BJP-ruled Haryana's Gurugram.

The 45 MPs-elect took oath in the presence of Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday.

It was for the first time that the new members took oath in the Upper House chamber when Parliament is not in session.

The oath-taking ceremony was earlier postponed due to the nationwide lockdown amid the Covid-19 outbreak. The voting for the Rajya Sabha's vacant seats was held in June 2020.

First-timers among the new members include Priyanka Chaturvedi, who last year quit the Congress to join the Shiv Sena; Jyotiraditya Scindia, who dumped the Congress earlier this year to join the BJP; and Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil along with Rajiv Satav.

Among the 61 newly-elected members of the Rajya Sabha 43 are first timers including former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh and the BJP's Bhuvaneshwar Kalita.