Swearing-in of new Uttarakhand CM on Saturday

Dehradun, March 17 (IANS) Hectic preparations are underway here for the swearing-in of the new government on Saturday, officials said.

While the name of the new Chief Minister and ministers is yet to be declared, state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Ajay Bhatt has informed that the oath taking for the new ministers has been fixed for 3 p.m. on March 18 (Saturday).

All the 57 newly-elected legislators of the BJP have been asked to come to the state capital between Friday and Saturday to partake in the swearing-in which is likely to be a grand affair as the party has swept back to power after five years and that too with a landslide majority.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah along with select ministers from the Union government and central office bearers are likely to be present at the oath taking ceremony.

Security arrangements are being made at the Parade Grounds, keeping in mind the VVIPs who will attend the event, an official informed IANS. Senior police and district officials along with some BJP legislators have been visiting the venue to oversee arrangements for the Saturday event.

The newly elected lawmakers of the BJP are likely to meet later on Friday to elect their new leader who will also be the next Chief Minister of the state. BJP president Amit Shah has named two central observers - Saroj Pandey and Narendra Tomar, to oversee the election of the new legislature party leader.

BJP leaders Trivendra Singh Rawat and Prakash Pant are said to be front runners in the race to be the next Chief Minister of the state.