Vijay Rupani swearing-in highlights: PM Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah attend oath ceremony in Gujarat

Vijay Rupani took oath for the second time as the chief minister of Gujarat on Tuesday, as the Bharatiya Janata Party formed it sixth government in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state.

BJP president Amit Shah and Modi attended the ceremony at the secretariat ground in Gandhinagar.

Along with Rupani, Patidar leader Nitin Patel, who retained his post as deputy CM, and more than a dozen legislators took oath of office.

A total of 20 ministers took oath. In accordance with the constitutional mandate, the Gujarat government can have a maximum of 27 ministers in the 182-member assembly. The BJP won 99 seats in the assembly polls held on December 9 and 14.

Here are the highlights:

12.11pm: Swearing-in ceremony of the Vijay Rupani-led council of ministers ends.

11.55am: Dilipkumar Viraji Thakor, Ishwarbhai Ramanbhai Parmar and Pradipsinh Jadeja take oath as ministers.

11.50am: Saurabh Patel, Ganpatsinh Vestabhai Vasava and Jayeshbhai Vitthalbhai Radadiya take oath as ministers in Gujarat government.

11.47am: RC Faldu, Bhupindrasinh Chudasama and Kaushik Patel take oath as ministers in Gujarat government.

11.45am: Six Patidar leaders take oath as ministers in Rupani cabinet.

11.42am: Other members of Rupani’s council of ministers take oath.

11.40am: Nitin Patel takes oath as deputy CM for second consecutive term.

11.35am: Vijay Rupani sworn in as Gujarat’s new CM.

11.25am: PM Modi greets former Gujarat CMs Keshubhai Patel and Shankersinh Vaghela at swearing-in ceremony.

11.22am: Veteran BJP leader LK Advani attends swearing-in ceremony. Goa CM Manohar Parrikar, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, Bihar deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi and other leaders also at venue.

11.17am: Union ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad, Nitin Gadkari, Rajnath Singh and Ram Vilas Paswan attend swearing-in ceremony.

11.16am: PM Narendra Modi arrives at the venue. Chants of “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and “Vande Mataram” rent the air.

11.15am: BJP chief ministers from other states – Yogi Adityanath (Uttar Pradesh), Devendra Fadnavis (Maharashtra), Sarbananda Sonowal (Assam), Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Madhya Pradesh) and Vasundhara Raje (Rajasthan) present at oath-taking ceremony.

11.00am: Huge gathering of BJP supporters at the secretariat ground in Gandhinagar. Rupani, Nitin Patel, Gujarat BJP president Jitu Vaghani and many other leaders present.

10.35am: 20 ministers including CM Vijay Rupani and deputy CM Nitin Patel to take oath shortly.

10.12am: PM Narendra Modi holds roadshow in Ahmedabad, waves to the crowds gathered on the way.

10.10am: “Feeling blessed after offering prayers to Panchdev Mahadev Temple in Gandhinagar. Prayed for Gujarat’s welfare,” tweets Vijay Rupani ahead of swearing-in ceremony.

10.00am: PM Narendra Modi arrives in Gandhinagar to attend Rupani’s swearing-in ceremony. Welcomed by Gujarat governor OP Kohli, CM Rupani, deputy CM Nitin Patel and BJP president Amit Shah.

9:15am: Vijay Rupani and his wife Anjali visit Panchdev temple in Gandhinagar ahead of the swearing-in ceremony.

(With agency inputs)