Ramesh Bais (74) took oath as the Governor of Jharkhand on Wednesday as the Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court Dr Ravi Ranjan administered him oath of office and secrecy.
The oath ceremony started at 1.45 pm after both the Governor and the Chief Justice took their seats, after which Chief Secretary Sukhdeo
Singh read out the appointment warrant issued by the President of India.
The Raj Bhavan had issued guidelines and itinerary of the programme in detail for the convenience of visitors.
The ceremony held at the Raj Bhavan was kept a low key affair due to Covid-19 pandemic and the Raj Bhavan looked less crowded this time because only selected persons were invited to attend the programme.
Friends and family members of Bais were among the special invitees of the programme who apparently came to Ranchi on Tuesday evening along with him.
Later on talking to the media Governor said that the President appointing him as Governor of Jharkhand was an honour for him.
“Wherever I have worked, my focus has been on development. I believe that along with the Chief Minister I will work towards the benefit of the people,” the Governor said.
Chief minister Hemant Soren, Speaker of Jharkhand Assembly Rabindra Nath Mahto, ministers Alamgir Alam, Champai Soren, Rameshwar Oraon, Satyanand Bhokta, Joba Manjhi, Banna Gupta and Badal, Ranchi MP Sanjay Seth, Ranchi MLA CP Singh, State BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Deepak Prakash, Ranchi Mayor Asha Lakra, justices of Jharkhand High Court, development secretary Arun Singh, DGP Niraj Kumar Sinha, DGP (Home and Fire) MV Rao, principal secretary to chief minister Rajiv Arun Ekka, secretary to chief minister Vinay Choubey, secretary of cabinet vigilance Vandana Dadel and vice chancellors of universities of Jharkhand were present during the programme.
But the BJP which is the Opposition party in Jharkhand alleged that two former Chief Ministers of the BJP namely Babulal Marandi and Raghubar Das were invited in the programme.
“The Hemant Soren Government has perhaps forgotten that Marandi is currently leader of the opposition also whereas Das served as Chief Minister for five years. The Government has displayed its narrow mentality,” said Jharkhand BJP general secretary Aditya Sahu.