Bhupendra Patel to be sworn in as Gujarat CM today; Modi, Shah to attend

Patel will be administered oath as the 18th chief minister of Gujarat by Governor Acharya Devvrat at the ceremony to be held at the Helipad Ground inside the new secretariat complex in Gandhinagar. The new council of ministers will also be sworn-in at the function.

Gujarat Chief Minister-designate Bhupendra Patel during a meeting of newly-elected BJP MLAs, at BJP headquarters 'Kamalam' in Gandhinagar, Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Gujarat BJP President CR Paatil and senior party leader BS Yediyurappa are also seen. (PTI Photo)

AT LEAST 20 chief ministers of BJP-ruled states are expected to be guests when Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel takes oath for the second consecutive term on Monday, at a grand function in the state capital in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Patel will be administered oath as the 18th chief minister of Gujarat by Governor Acharya Devvrat at the ceremony to be held at the Helipad Ground inside the new secretariat complex in Gandhinagar. The new council of ministers will also be sworn-in at the function.

Also Read | Who will make it to the new Gujarat ministry? Bhupendra Patel’s real challenge

BJP national president JP Nadda and 10-15 union ministers are also likely to attend the ceremony.

The party recorded a historic lead and seventh consecutive victory in the recently concluded elections of the Gujarat Assembly, by winning 156 of the total 182 seats. Main opposition party Congress could win 17 seats, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) opened account in the state legislative assembly by winning five seats.

A committee of IAS officers are overseeing the preparations for the swearing-in function, for which a temporary structure has been erected at the helipad ground that can accommodate around 20,000 people.

From the BJP organisation, party office-bearers of taluka and city levels are expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony. Sitting and former MPs and MLAs from the party, office-bearers of various morchas, chairmen/vice-chairmen and directors of APMCs, sarpanches of gram panchayats and party veterans from the time of Jan Sangh are also expected to attend.

During the party’s election campaign in Gujarat, several national level leaders were brought in for a campaign carpet bombing. “We can expect that all of them will be part of the swearing-in ceremony,” a party office-bearer said.

Story continues below this ad

Prime Minister Modi arrived in Gujarat Sunday late night to attend the swearing in function Monday.

Patel, who won the assembly election from Ghatlodia constituency of Ahmedabad city by a margin of 1.92 lakh votes, was elected as the leader of BJP legislature party by the elected MLAs on Saturday.

Parimal A Dabhi

Parimal A Dabhi works with The Indian Express as Chief of Bureau, focusing on the state of Gujarat. Leveraging his seniority and access, Dabhi is recognized for his reporting on the complex interplay of law, politics, social justice, and governance within the region. Expertise & Authority Core Authority (Social Justice and Law): Dabhi is a key source for in-depth coverage of caste-based violence, discrimination, and the state's response to social movements, particularly those involving Patidar, Dalit and OBC communities. His reporting focuses on the societal and legal fallout of these issues: Caste and Discrimination: He has reported extensively on social boycotts and instances of violence against Dalits (such as the attack on a Dalit wedding party in Patan), the community's demands (like refusing to pick carcasses), and the political responses from leaders like Jignesh Mevani. Judicial and Legal Affairs: He tracks significant, high-stakes legal cases and judgments that set precedents in Gujarat, including the convictions under the stringent Gujarat Animal Preservation Act (cow slaughter), 2002 Gujarat riots and developments in cases involving former police officers facing charges of wrongful confinement and fake encounters. Political and Administrative Oversight: Dabhi provides essential coverage of the inner workings of the state government and the opposition, ensuring a high degree of Trustworthiness in political analysis: State Assembly Proceedings: He frequently reports directly from the Gujarat Assembly, covering Question Hour, discussion on various Bills, debates on budgetary demands for departments like Social Justice, and ministerial statements on issues like illegal mining, job quotas for locals, and satellite-based farm loss surveys. Electoral Politics: His work details key political developments, including election analysis (voter turnout records), party organizational changes (like the end of C R Patil’s tenure as BJP chief), and campaign dynamics. ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Tags:
Bhupendra Patel