Vijay Rupani swearing-in: Credentials as caste-neutral leader with clean image gave Mr Rupani an edge.
in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah and several other senior party leaders, including chief ministers of other NDA-ruled states. Mr Rupani, a confidante of BJP national chief Amit Shah, will hold the post for a second term. Mr Nitin Patel also took oath as his deputy. The BJP retained power in Gujarat for the sixth consecutive term by winning the recently-held Assembly polls with a lower margin of victory than last time.
Here are the live updates of Vijay Rupani's swearing-in:
BJP Chief Ministers Hail Party's Victory
Chief Ministers of the BJP-ruled states today hailed the party's victory in Gujarat for the sixth consecutive time in the recently-held assembly polls, news agency PTI reported.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said: "It is a matter of great pleasure for all of us. Gujarat developed a lot during the tenure of Narendra Modi as chief minister. Some people were assuming that BJP will not come back after Modi left the state as prime minister. But it is a matter of immense pleasure that the BJP managed around 50 per cent vote."
After the oath ceremony, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, "I express gratitude to voters and give best wishes to (Vijay) Rupani and Nitin Patel for bringing the BJP back to power for the sixth time. Congratulations to the BJP for Gujarat victory. Gujarat has given a different model of development, and it is a faith and trust towards Modi that BJP keeps winning and coming back to power (in Gujarat). Mr Chouhan was in Gandhinagar but he could not attend the ceremony.
"Gujarat has again voted for BJP government. We thank Modi and Amit Shah who worked hard to achieve this. It will be a history that the BJP will rule a state for 27 years," Chattisgarh Minister Raman Singh said.
PM Modi Meets Mother Ahead Of Oath Taking Ceremony
Ahead of the oath taking ceremony in Gujarat, PM Modi today met his 97-year-old mother in Raisan village near Gandhinagar, news agency PTI reported.
The prime minister's mother, Hiraba, who lives with his younger brother Pankaj Modi in Raisan. "After his arrival at Ahmedabad airport this morning, PM Modi first reached Raisan and spent some time with his mother and enquired about her health," a BJP leader was quoted as saying by the news agency. Despite several visits to his home state in the past few weeks, PM Modi was not able to meet his mother due to his hectic schedule.
Interestingly, Vijay Rupani was the chairman of the Gujarat Tourism Development Corporation in 2006 when the hugely successful advertisement campaign 'Khushboo Gujarat Ki', featuring megastar Amitabh Bachchan, was launched to promote the state as a tourism hotspot, news agency PTI reported.
Union Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan also tweeted after Vijay Rupani's oath ceremony and referred to the Gujarat development model in the post.
In a series of tweets, Vijay Rupani thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP Chief Amit Shah and said his government would work for the downtrodden and the needy.
Vijay Rupani, 61, joined an RSS shakha as a schoolboy, before graduating to the BJP via the Sangh's students wing - the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), news agency PTI reported. He was a Rajya Sabha member between 2006 and 2012. He fought his first Assembly election in 2014, winning a bypoll in Rajkot West.
Uttar Pradesh's Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya today congratulated Vijay Rupani as he was sworn in as the Gujarat Chief Minister for a second consecutive term. "From the side of Uttar Pradesh party unit, and all ministers I want to congratulate all the post holders in Gujarat cabinet ministry," he was quoted as saying by the news agency ANI.
"It is in the history of India that BJP has won consecutively for the sixth time in Gujarat," he asserted and added, "Now our victory will continue everywhere."
The first meeting of the newly-elected Gujarat cabinet will be held tomorrow at 10 am, reports news agency ANI.
PM Modi thanked the people of Gujarat yet again via Twitter
Oath-taking ceremony brought back fond memories: PM Modi
Prime Minister also thanked the people of Gujarat for their blessings after the oath taking ceremony. Expressing his joy over the involvement of people from different walks of life, the Prime Minister said that he cherishes the affection of the people. He also said that the oath taking ceremony, which was attended not only by the chief ministers of all BJP-ruled states but the party top brass as well, brought back "fond memories".
PM Modi congratulates Vijay Rupani on Twitter after his swearing-in ceremony
Rajnath Singh congratulates Vijay Rupani, says "confident Gujarat will continue to march forward march on road to development"
PM Modi and Yogi Adityanath shake hands after ceremony
BJP leader Gajendra Singh Shekhawat congratulates Vijay Rupani on Twitter for his second term as Gujarat chief minister.
PM Modi shakes hands with Nitish Kumar while Nitin Gadkari smiles Arun Jaitley congratulates Vijay Rupani after oath ceremony
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley congratulated Vijay Rupani after he swore in as the Gujarat Chief Minister. This is his second term as Gujarat chief. After the BJP won in the Gujarat assembly polls, the party had sent a team led by Mr Jaitley to the state as an observer while it was mulling decision over the next chief minister.
Mangrol lawmaker Ganpatsinh Vestabhai Vasava sworn-in as Gujarat Cabinet minister
Bardoli lawmaker Ishwarbhai Ramanbhai Parmar swears-in as Gujarat Cabinet minister
Pradipsinh Jadeja, MLA from Vatva constituency, swears-in as Gujarat cabinet minister
Dilipkumar Viraji Thakor, Ishwarbhai Ramanbhai Parmar and Pradipsinh Jadeja also take oath as ministers in the Gujarat government.
BJP leaders swear in as Gujarat cabinet ministers
Following the swearing-in of Vijay Rupani and Nitin Patel as Gujarat Chief Minister and deputy chief minister respectively, BJP leaders RC Faldu, Bhupindrasinh Chudasama and Kaushik Patel also took oath as cabinet ministers in Gujarat government.
Both Vijay Rupani and Nitin Patel take oath in Gujarati as Gujarat Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister.
Nitin Patel swears-in as Gujarat deputy chief minister
Vijay Rupani's swearing-in ceremony begins
Nitish Kumar along with Nitin Gadkari at the swearing-in ceremony
Vijay Rupani's oath ceremony turns grand as BJP top brass line up on stage
Senior BJP leader LK Advani also present at Vijay Rupani's swearing-in ceremony
Other prominent BJP names attending the oath taking ceremony include Ravi Shankar Prasad, Amit Shah, Ananth Kumar, Nitin Gadkari and Harshvardhan.
PM Modi and Rajnath Singh greet each other ahead of the ceremony
Uttar Pradesh Vhief Minister Yogi Adityanath shakes hands with Vijay Rupani
PM Modi reaches the venue of Vijay Rupani's swearing-in ceremony
BJP's show of strength at Vijay Rupani's swearing-in ceremony
BJP top brass BJP chief ministers Yogi Adityanath, Devendra Fadnavis, Manohar Parrikar, Raman Singh, Nitish Kumar and Manohar Lal Khattar are present at Vijay Rpani's swearing-in ceremony.
Prayed for Gujarat's welfare, tweets Vijay Rupani.
After visiting the Pancdev Mahadev temple before his swearing-in ceremony, Mr Rupani said he was feeling blessed and that he had prayed for the welfare of Gujarat.
Vijay Rupani gears up for his swearing-in ceremony, dons 'pagdi'
Over eight cabinet ministers are expected to take oath along with Mr Rupani
Patidars likely to dominate the Vijay Rupani cabinet
20 ministers including CM Vijay Rupani and Deputy CM Nitin Patel to take oath shortly
The swearing-in ceremony is going to be held at an open ground near the state secretariat. Several Union ministers and other senior leaders of the party have also been invited for the ceremony.
PM Modi waves at fans on his way from Ahmedabad airport
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has reached Ahmedabad to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Vijay Rupani, greeted fans on his way from the airport. BJP president Amit Shah is also expected to attend the ceremony in which Nitin Patel is also to take oath as the Deputy chief minister.
PM Modi is greeted by Vijay Rupani and other leaders ahead of Vijay Rupani's swearing-in.
PM Modi reaches Ahmedabad. He is greeted by Amit Shah and other leaders. The BJP chief and other leaders give him roses.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi to arrive in Gujarat's capital Gandhinagar shortly. PM Modi and chief ministers of other BJP ruled states will be present at Vijay Rupani's oath taking ceremony. Before becoming the prime minister, Narendra Modi was a four-time chief minister of Gujarat.
Vijay Rupani and his wife Anjali visit Panchdev temple in Gandhinagar ahead of swearing-in as Gujarat Chief Minister