A host of opposition leaders attended the back-to-back swearing-in ceremonies of Ashok Gehlot, Kamal Nath as chief ministers of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh respectively, today. While Congress president Rahul Gandhi is attending all the three events, including the one in Chhattisgarh for chief minister designate Bhupesh Baghel, other prominent opposition leaders who attend the events. Chhattisgarh chief minister designate Bhupesh Baghel was sworn-in, after the ceremony had been delayed due to rainfall in capital Raipur. Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh and senior Congress leader Motilal Vohra attended the swearing-in of Bhupesh Baghel.
The leaders include former prime minister HD Devegowda and Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu also attended the events along with Bihar opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav.
However, three prominent opposition leaders - Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati - are among those conspicuous in their absence from the three grand events.
Here are the highlights on the swearing-in ceremonies of the chief ministers of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh:
The oath ceremony of Kamal Nath presented a glimpse of rare courtesy and grace in politics as BJP's Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the three-time Chief Minister of the state, took an active part in the event to pass the baton to his Congress successor. Invited on stage, the 59 year-old, who had been fondly called "Mama" by the people of the state, was photographed with his successor and Jyotiraditya Scindia, their linked arms raised in jubilation.
Kamal Nath said Mamata Banerjee and Mayawati had "genuine reasons" for not making it to his oath ceremony for Madhya Pradesh chief minister.
Rahul Gandhi sat in the front seat - with former prime minister Manmohan Singh - as he travelled with a busload of opposition leaders to three oath ceremonies.
The oath taking ceremony of Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel as the new chief minister has been shifted from the Science College grounds to Balbeer Juneja Indoor Stadium in Raipur's Budhatalab area in view of rainfall, the official told PTI.
Arrangements are being made for the programme at the new venue, he said.
According to the weather department, cyclone Pethai has affected the weather of Chhattisgarh and that has resulted in rainfall in the capital.
"In view of cyclonic storm 'Pethai' over Bay of Bengal off Andhra coast, light rainfall over Raipur is likely to continue till Monday evening. There is forecast of light rainfall over the state capital during the next 24 hours," said Prakash Khare, Director, Meteorological Centre, Raipur.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister has waived off the loans for farmers in his state, two hours after he took oath as the chief minister. The promise of farm loan waiver was made by the Congress during the election campaign in Madhya Pradesh.
In a declaration that the Congress was back in the saddle, Rajasthan's new deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot, who had pledged not to wear a turban till his party returns to power in the state, proudly sported a red bandhej safa on Monday.
1984 anti-Sikh riots: Kamal Nath's formal takeover as chief minister of Madhya Pradesh took place today in the shadow of protests over his alleged role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, for which another Congress leader, Sajjan Kumar, was convicted.
The 41-year-old leader, who won Tonk assembly constituency in the recently concluded assembly elections, had pledged in 2014 not to wear the traditional turban till the party returns to power in the state.
Kamal Nath said Mamata Banerjee and Mayawati had "genuine reasons" for not making it to his oath ceremony for Madhya Pradesh chief minister.
Kamal Nath will take the oath in Madhya Pradesh's capital Bhopal around 1 pm.