Congress CMs to take charge in three states; Opposition to put up show of strength

Congress leaders will take oath as chief ministers of three previously BJP-ruled states on Monday, December 11. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi will be flying to Jaipur, Bhopal and possibly Raipur for the ceremonies.

While Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot will take oath as chief minister and deputy chief minister of Rajasthan, respectively, in Jaipur at 10 am, Kamal Nath will be sworn in as Madhya Pradesh CM in Bhopal at 1.30 pm. Bhupesh Baghel will take oath as Chhattisgarh CM in Raipur at 5 pm.

Besides Congress president Rahul Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, several other senior party leaders will attend the three events, said a Congress spokesperson.

A host of Opposition leaders including Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, his Karnataka counterpart HD Kumaraswamy, Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar, All India Trinamool Congress leader Dinesh Trivedi, Janata Dal (Secular) president HD Deve Gowda, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, Loktantrik Janta Dal chief Sharad Yadav, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president MK Stalin and leader Kanimozhi will attend the ceremonies in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, said a Rajasthan Congress leader.

Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Tejashwi Yadav, JMM’s Hemant Soren, RLD’s Jayant Chaudhary, HAM’s Jitan Ram Manjhi, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik)’s Babulal Marandi, Indian Union Muslim League’s PK Kunhalikutty, All India United Democratic Front’s Badruddin Ajmal, Swabhimani Paksha’s Raju Shetti and Rashtriya Lok Samta Party’s Upendra Kushwaha are also expected to be at the swearing in Jaipur.

Senior Congress leader and and Chief Minister elect of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot had written a letter inviting the Opposition leaders including TMC chief Mamata Banerjee to Jaipur, said sources.

“Assembly election is not just a victory for the Congress party but is also a victory of progressive politics, a victory for those who uphold the constitution of India and believe in the nation’s diversity and plurality,” Gehlot had written.

From Jaipur, the leaders will proceed to Bhopal to attend the event there.

BSP supremo Mayawati and SP president Akhilesh Yadav is likely to be attending the events.

UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi is unlikely to attend the swearing-in ceremonies.

Inputs from Umakant Lakhera