Congress takes reins in three Hindi heartland states of MP, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh

State Congress President Bhupesh Baghel was on Monday sworn in as the third Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, bringing to an end 15-year rule of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state. Baghel, who represents Patan Assembly constituency in Durg district, was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor Anandiben Patel in the presence of Congress President Rahul Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, among other dignitaries

ABP News Bureau Last Updated: 17 Dec 2018 10:31 PM

17/12/2018 22:30:30

Three Congress chief ministers on Monday took oath of office in three previously BJP-ruled Hindi heartland states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhatisgarh with most of the opposition leaders present in the swearing-in ceremonies that also turned into a show of unity against the saffron party.

17/12/2018 22:30:45

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Baghel, who represents Patan Assembly constituency in Durg district, was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor Anandiben Patel in the presence of Congress President Rahul Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, among other dignitaries in Raipur.

17/12/2018 18:51:38

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17/12/2018 18:51:18

State Congress President Bhupesh Baghel takes oath as the third Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, bringing to an end 15-year rule of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state.

17/12/2018 14:58:15

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17/12/2018 14:37:46

Madhya Pradesh CM oath ceremony LIVE Updates: Veteran Congress leader Kamal Nath has sworn in as the 18th Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.

17/12/2018 14:10:11

Defending Kamal Nath over his alleged involvement in 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said that Nath should get same benefit of doubt as Narendra Modi is given about his handling of the 2002 Gujarat riots. “No court found any evidence against him to convict him. It is wrong to make a judgement based on unsubstantiated and unproven allegations,” he said.

17/12/2018 14:09:35

17/12/2018 14:08:11

Madhya Pradesh: National Conference President Farooq Abdullah, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh and Mallikarjun Kharge, Andhra Pradesh CM & TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and other leaders at the swearing-in ceremony of CM designate Kamal Nath, in Bhopal.

17/12/2018 14:07:48

Meanwhile,immediately after a Delhi court convicted senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar and sentenced his to jail for life in connection with 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the BJP has demanded from Congress president Rahul Gandhi to step down from his post. While speaking to the repoters, BJP's Sambit Patra said, "Rahul Gandhi should resign as Congress' chief. Kamal Nath ji's name crops up along with affidavit and evidence in a report submitted to Nanavati Commission. A man involved in anti-Sikh riots has been made the Madhya Pradesh CM. Rahul Gandhi must expel him from the party."

17/12/2018 13:54:29

Madhya Pradesh CM Oath Ceremony LIVE UPDATES: Former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and other leaders have arrived at the venue for the swearing-in ceremony of CM designate Kamal Nath, in Bhopal.

17/12/2018 13:24:51

Madhya Pradesh CM Oath Ceremony LIVE UPDATES: Congress president Rahul Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, along with other leaders including Farooq Abdullah and Sharad Yadav have reached Bhopal to attend the wearing-in ceremony of Kamal as new Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.

17/12/2018 13:28:21

Earlier in the day, before leaving Rajasthan, Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter and wrote, "Thanks to the people of Rajasthan for believing in the Congress. Congratulations to the leaders and workers of the Congress for the success of their struggle... It is an honour for the Congress party to serve Rajasthan. We will fulfil our responsibility."

17/12/2018 13:14:41

17/12/2018 12:42:06

Now from Jaipur, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi will fly to Bhopal where he will attend the swearing-in of Kamal Nath as the new Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. In the just concluded Assembly polls in the state, the Congress won 114 seats in 230-member House. The BJP bahhed 109 seats. The BJP had dethroned Congress in Madhya Pradesh in 2003 and since then it was ruling the state.

17/12/2018 11:32:16

Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullaha took to Twitter to wish Kamal Nath, Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel who will take oath as chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan respectively today. "Best wishes to @ashokgehlot51 ji, @SachinPilot, @OfficeOfKNath ji & @Bhupesh_Baghel ji as they assume the responsibility of guiding their states for the next five years," he wrote.

17/12/2018 22:30:25

While the Congress is celebrating the oath ceremony of new Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot in Jaipur, there is a bad news for the party from Delhi. Senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar has been accused in 1984 anti-Sikh riots and held guilty by Delhi High Court today. Read more:

17/12/2018 11:20:56

17/12/2018 11:17:06

Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sachin Pilot was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan at an event in Jaipur's Albert Hall on Monday. Governor Kalyan Singh administered the oath of office and secrecy to him in the presence of Rahul Gandhi, Manmohan Singh and Vasundhara Raje.

17/12/2018 11:16:53

Ashok Gehlot on Monday took oath as the 12th Rajasthan Chief Minister at an event in Jaipur's Albert Hall. Governor Kalyan Singh administered the oath of office and secrecy to Gehlot. The event was attended by Rahul Gandhi, Manmohan Singh and former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje among others.

17/12/2018 22:30:25

Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot took oath as Rajasthan's Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, respectively.

17/12/2018 10:46:48

Congress leaders and workers have gathered at Albert Hall, Jaipur. Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot will take oath as Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister respectively anytime now.

17/12/2018 10:31:01

BSP chief Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav will not attend the oath ceremonies of Congress Chief Ministers in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Both the BSP and SP are extending support to the Congress in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh to go past the magic figure. Besides, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee will also be not there at the event. Meanwhile, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has also made distance from the event.

17/12/2018 10:27:24

Rajasthan: Former CM Vasundhara Raje, Congress leader Jitin Prasad and other leaders are present at the swearing-in ceremony of CM designate Ashok Gehlot and Deputy CM designate Sachin Pilot in Jaipur.

17/12/2018 22:30:25

17/12/2018 10:21:44

Congress President Rahul Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have arrived in Jaipur for the swearing-in ceremony of CM designate Ashok Gehlot and Deputy CM designate Sachin Pilot.

17/12/2018 22:30:25

While this is seen as another opportunity to present a united opposition front against the ruling BJP ahead of the general elections, Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Chief Mayawati and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee will not be there in the swearing-in ceremonies in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh today.

17/12/2018 09:32:39

While Congress is all prepared for the swearing-in ceremony of its three CM-designates, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is geared up to press an attack on the Congress party and its president Rahul Gandhi over Rafale deal. BJP has sought to turn the tables on the Congress over the Rafale issue. It has deployed its top leaders, including chief ministers and Union ministers, who will speak at several press conferences in as many as 70 cities across the country.

17/12/2018 09:27:54

Among other opposition leaders who have been invited and are likely to attend the ceremonies include JMM's Hemant Soren, Jharkhand Vikas Manch leader Babulal Marandi, Swabhimani Paksh leader Raju Shetty and former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi.

17/12/2018 09:27:26

Sources said the Congress has also invited the Aam Aadmi Party and its leader Sanjay Singh is likely to attend the events.

17/12/2018 09:26:58

Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu will be attending the events along with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, other leaders invited include AIUDF leader Badruddin Ajmal, TMC leader Dinesh Trivedi and LJD leader Sharad Yadav.

17/12/2018 09:26:03

A host of opposition leaders are expected to attend the swearing-in of Ashok Gehlot, Kamal Nath and Bhupesh Baghel as chief ministers of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh respectively today. While Congress president Rahul Gandhi will be attending all the three oath-taking ceremonies, other prominent opposition leaders likely to attend the events include former prime minister H D Devegowda and Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah.

17/12/2018 22:30:30

Ashok Gehlot will be sworn-in as Rajasthan CM in Jaipur at historic Albert Hall at 10 am, while Kamal Nath will take the oath in MP's capital Bhopal around 1:30 pm followed by Bhupesh Baghel in Chhattisgarh's Raipur at 4:30 pm.

17/12/2018 22:30:45

Welcome to Chief Minister Oath Ceremony LIVE BLOG. This blog is dedicated to bring you the first and latest update on CM oath-taking ceremony of Ashok Gehlot, Kamal Nath and Bhupesh Baghel who will take oath as Chief Ministers in state capitals–Jaipur, Bhopal and Raipur, respectively.

Background

CM Oath Ceremony in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh Live Updates: The swearing-in ceremony of Congress' newly elected leaders Ashok Gehlot as Rajasthan Chief Minister, Kamal Nath as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and Bhupesh Baghel as Chhattisgarh Chief Minister, will take place today. In the recently-concluded Assembly elections, the results of which were declared on December 11, the Congress dealt a massive blow to the BJP by ousting its governments in the three 'Hindi heartland' states. As per the report, Gehlot will be sworn-in as CM in Jaipur at historic Albert Hall in the morning at 10 am, while Kamal Nath will take the oath in MP's capital Bhopal around 1:30 pm followed by Baghel in Chhattisgarh's Raipur at 4:30 pm.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi is expected to attend all the three oath ceremonies. The swearing-in ceremonies in the three states are being seen as another opportunity to present a united opposition front against the ruling BJP ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections who lost power to the Congress in the three states in the Hindi heartland.

Several senior Congress leaders and hundreds of party workers will attend the events. Besides, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, a phalanx of opposition leaders including Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, DMK president MK Stalin, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, BSP chief Mayawati, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, and NCP president Sharad Pawar are expected to attend all the three oath-taking ceremonies.

The Congress has also extended an invitation to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as well to attend the ceremonies, signalling a possible thaw in ties. The swearing-in ceremony of Rajasthan Chief Minister-designate Ashok Gehlot and deputy Chief Minister-designate Sachin Pilot is scheduled to take place at Jaipur at 10am. Congress party chief Rahul Gandhi and senior party leader Mallikarjun Kharge are expected to attend the ceremony along with a host of other leaders from across the political spectrum.

In Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister-designate Kamal Nath will take oath at the Jamboree Maidan in Bhopal at 1.30pm. The ceremony will be preceded by an all-religion prayer meeting.

Congress on Sunday named Bhupesh Baghel as the chief minister face of Chhattisgarh. Baghel will be sworn in on Monday at 4.30 pm, the ceremony will be held at Science College Ground in Raipur.The Congress party had registered a resounding victory in Chhattisgarh, winning 68 seats as opposed to the BJP's 15, in Rajasthan the Congress bagged 99 seats, and the BJP 73.