Former Haryana CM Bhoopinder Singh Hooda says not invited for swearing in
Abhay Chautala attends Khattar’s swearing-in event
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2014-10-27 02:54 GMT
New Delhi/ Chandigarh: Manohar Lal Khattar, a Punjabi, is the Haryana’s first non-Jat CM after Bhajan Lal (1991-1996). Six Cabinet ministers, including a woman (Kavita Jain, Sonepat MLA), and three ministers of state (independent charge) were sworn in along with the CM.
Former CM Bhupender Singh Hooda did not attend the ceremony, saying he had not been invited, but the INLD’s Abhay Chautala was present at the function. Unlike in the past, the oath-taking ceremony was not held at the Haryana Raj Bhavan but at the Mela Ground in Panchkula.
Thousands of BJP supporters had gathered to participate in the event for which unprecedented security measures were put in place.
Mr Khattar, who BJP leaders describe as a low profile but a hard task matter, is a first time MLA from Karnal, from where Mr Modi had launched his election campaign for the assembly elections. Known for his organisational skills, Mr Khattar had worked with Mr Modi during the latter’s tenure as Haryana’s incharge in the 90’s.
Mr Khattar was also the in-charge of the election committee for the Lok Sabha elections in which BJP scored its highest parliamentary seats in the state. In 2002, he was given the charge of Jammu and Kashmir as the state’s election in-charge.
The five other cabinet ministers sworn in were Haryana BJP state unit chief Ram Bilas Sharma, Captain Abhimanyu, Om Parkash Dhankar, Anil Vij and Narbir Singh. Three ministers of state (Independent Charge) Vikram Singh Thekedar, Krishan Kumar Bedi and Karan Dev Kamboj (Indri) were also sworn in.