Here are the highlights of the swearing-in ceremony of Jai Ram Thakur:
Virender Kanwar sworn-in as Himachal Pradesh minister
Ram lal Markandaye and Vipin Singh Parmar take oath as Himachal Pradesh ministers
Anil Sharma takes oath as Himachal Pradesh minister
Sarveen Chaudhary, only woman in cabinet, swears-in as Himachal Pradesh minister
A five-time legislator, Mr Thakur rose through the ranks and is known for his humble, clean and low-profile nature. Mr Thakur was a Cabinet minister in the BJP government led by PK Dhumal from 2007 to 2012.
Doing away with VIP culture tops Jai Ram Thakur's agenda
Jai Ram Thakur has said that his top priorities would be restoring law and order situation, to do away with the VIP culture, to review all decisions of the previous Congress government in past three months, to minimise wasteful expenditure and to develop tourism infrastructure.
Jai Ram Thakur's selection is seen as a generational shift in a state where the BJP and Congress had projected much older men for the top post - the Congress' Virbhadra Singh is 83, while PK Dhumal is 73. He has been the party's state unit chief and a minister in a government headed by Mr Dhumal in the past.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to address people at the venue.
Most VVIPs to land at Jubbar-Hatti airport, to be flown to Annandale helipad by choppers.
New ministers in Jai Ram Tahkur's 11-member cabinet likely are former Cabinet ministers Rajeev Bindal, Kishan Kapoor, Sarveen Chaudhary, Mohinder Singh, Congress rebel Anil Sharma, Narinder Bragta and Ramesh Dhawala and new faces could comprise Gobind Thakur, Vikram Jaryal, Rakesh Pathania and Rajeev Sahjal, reports news agency IANS.
Over 1,000 security men deployed on security duty, LCD screens installed outside venue
Shimla's historic Ridge ground gears up for Jai Ram Thakur's swearing-in ceremony. Over 50,000 people expected to be present.
"Would have been happy if my father would have been here today," says Jai Ram Thakur. Adding that his father past away last year, the chief minister-elect further said that though his mother is unwell, her blessings are with him.
"People have shown faith in us, will try to meet their expectations": Jai Ram Thakur
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister-elect Jai Ram Thakur, who is set to take oath today, said that he would make sure that he tries and meets the expectations of the people as they have shown faith him.
New Himachal Pradesh cabinet to be a blend of old and new faces
Massive security and other arrangements in place for the swearing-in ceremony at the historic Ridge Maidan
