Chandigarh: The Punjab congress party chief Capt Amarinder Singh was here today along with nine cabinet ministers was sworn in as the 26th Chief Minister of Punjab. He took oath as CM for a second time at a well-organised ceremony at Punjab Raj Bhawan here.
Minutes before the beginning of the ceremony, security personnel had a tough time controlling Congress leaders trying to get through the security cordon at the entrance to the VVIP venue for special dignitaries, even the motorists had to face a harrowing time and inconvenience due to the on going swearing in ceremony at the Punjab Raj Bhawan.
(Left to right) Charanjit Singh Channi, Aruna Chaudhary, Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Punjab governor VP Singh Badnore, Capt Amarinder Singh, Brahm Mohindra, Rana Gurjit Singh, Manpreet Singh Badal, Navjot Singh Sidhu and Razia Sultana posing for a photograph after the oath-taking ceremony in Chandigarh on Thursday. (HT Photo)
Former PM of India Manmohan Singh, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, Himachal CM Virbhadra Singh, Anand Sharma, Kapil Sibal, Rajinder Gupta, Navin Jindal, Sachin Pilot, Rajiv Shukla and Raj Babbar were among the dignitaries from the congress party present at the occasion.
Capt Amarinder Singh along with seven cabinet and two ministers of state (independent charge), was administered the oath by Governor VP Singh Badnore.
As reported by media the first one to take oath after Capt Amarinder Singh was seniormost Congress MLA Brahm Mohindra, followed by Navjot Sidhu, Manpreet Singh Badal, Sadhu Singh Dharamkot, Tript Rajinder Bajwa, Rana Gurjeet, Charanjit Singh Channi and ministers of state Aruna Chaudhary and Razia Sultana.
While Amarinder and Rana Gurjeet took oath in English, Aruna Chaudhary took it in Hindi and others in Punjabi.
Former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and Leader of Opposition HS Phoolka were conspicuous by their absence.
Like Portfolios
Capt Amarinder Singh: Home, personnel, excise and taxation and housing
Brahm Mohindra: Health and family welfare
Navjot Sidhu: Local bodies
Manpreet Badal: Finance
Tripat Rajinder Bajwa: Panchayats and rural development
Rana Gurjeet: Irrigation and power
Sadhu Singh Dharamsot: Social welfare
Charanjit Channi: Technical education
Ministers of State (with independent charge)
Aruna Chaudhary: Education
Razia Sultana: PWD (B and R)