Narendra Damodardas Modi takes oath along with 16 ministers.
Chief minister Narendra Modi was sworn in as chief minister for the record-equaling fourth time in the presence of a galaxy of political leaders at the Sardar Patel stadium in Gujarat on Wednesday. Sixteen other ministers were also sworn-in along with the chief minister, but senior leaders such as Vaju Vala and Narottam Patel were the surprise omissions in the list.
Modi was administered oath of office and secrecy by governor Dr Kamla in the presence of an estimated 30,000 – 40,000 people who had gathered at the stadium. However, the crowd was much smaller as compared with 2007 when it was teeming with people. The public euphoria that is the hallmark of Modi’s public events, which was also the case at the swearing-in ceremonies at the same venue in 2002 and 2007, was also missing on Wednesday.
The CM, who completed a hat-trick of big wins in the recently concluded assembly elections, arrived at the stadium at around 11.15 hrs. He then went and exchanged greetings with political leaders and chief ministers of other states present at the swearing-in. He also greeted the saffron-clad sadhus and spiritual leaders who were present at the swearing-in.
Modi was administered the oath of office and secrecy and sworn-in as the chief minister at around 12.00 hrs by governor Dr Kamla. This was followed by seven cabinet minister and nine ministers of state also taking oath. The chief minister’s mother Heeraben, who was seated on the dais, was seen flashing the victory sign after he was sworn-in amid chants of Bharat Mata Ki Jai.
The Cabinet ministers sworn-in include Nitin Patel, Anandi Patel, Ramanlal Vora, Bhupendrasinh Chudasma, Saurabh Patel, Ganpat Vasava and Babu Bokhiria. Nitin Patel is likely to be given charge of finance ministry in the place of Vaju Vala, who may be made the Speaker of Gujarat assembly. Saurabh Patel was minister of state in the previous government, while Vasava was Speaker in the 12th assembly. Bokhiria, an ex-minister and an accused in the mining scam, had defeated Congress prez Arjun Modhwadia from Porbandar in the recent elections.
Parshottam Solanki, Parbat Patel, Vasu Trivedi, Pradipsinh Jadeja, Liladhar Vaghela, Rajnikant Patel, Govind Patel, Nanu Vanani and Jayanti Kavadiya were sworn-in as ministers of state, the last four being new faces. the Rs400 crore fisheries scam, is the other tainted minister included in the cabinet. He had defeated leader of opposition Shaktisinh Gohil in the election.
Modi was greeted by thousands of his supporters as he took a victory-lap of the stadium in an open-top jeep after his swearing-in ceremony.
“Took oath as Guj’s CM for the 4th time! A memorable day. I assure we will live up to the faith people have reposed in us,” Modi wrote on Twitter, after the swearing-in.
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