Grand swearing-in for Kamal Nath on Monday

Governor Anandiben Patel on Friday officially invited Congress leader Kamal Nath after he was unanimously elected the leader of Congress Legislature Party late on Thursday evening, to form his government.

Invoking Article 164 of the Indian Constitution, she first appointed him the CM and then invited him to form the Government.

On a day of hectic activities, Nath met the Governor this morning following which the official letter, signed by the Governor, mentioning both the facts, was sent to Nath.

Nath is set to take oath on December 17 at a grand ceremony atJamboori grounds in central Bhopal. Uma Bharti was the first CM in recent times to have been sworn in here at a massive gathering, instead of at the Rajbhawan, the traditional place of CM's oath-taking. That was 2003.

Shivraj Singh had moved the venue in 2013 — when he had romped home with a huge majority — to the Jamboori ground in BHEL area. A number of CMs had gathered for the ceremony, including Narendra Modi, then Gujarat CM. BJP had made a hat trick that time.

For the ceremony of Nath, top Congress leaders and CMs are being invited. Rahul Gandhi and other leaders like Amrinder Singh, CM Punjab and other party supremos, leading industrialists are also being invited, among others, sources said.

Meanwhile, hectic lobbying has begun for cabinet berths among the newly elected MLAs. Nath will have to do a tightrope walk while forming his cabinet. Supporters of Jyotiraditya Scindia, Digvijaya Singh, and Nath's own followers are in the fray for a ministerial berth.

Digvijaya Singh's brother Lakshman Singh and son Jaiwardhan Singh have won from Chachoda and Raghogarh respectively. Who will get Nath's blessings, is being watched. Ajay Singh Rahul (leader of opposition ) who shockingly lost in Churhat, is also being considered for a cabinet berth, party sourced indicated. A few MLAs have offered to resign for him to recontest the election and enter the Assembly.

HUNT FOR NEW CS

• Nath is also talking to bureaucrats to finalise names of principal secre-tary and Chief Secretary 
   
• Present incumbent BP Singh, a 1984 batch officer, retires this month 
   
• Names of SR Mohanty, Gopal Reddy & Prabhanshu Kamal are doing the rounds