The Maharaja’s coronation turned out to be grandiose without the grandeur.
Capt Amarinder Singh wanted his oath-taking ceremony as Punjab Chief Minister to be a mundane affair. But the presence of Congress’ stalwarts made it a royal function as the State’s new cabinet took oath on Thursday after breaking the nation-wide jinx afflicting the Congress party.
In the impressive presence of the Congress’ who’s who, including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress national vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Capt Amarinder was administered oath of office and secrecy as the 26th Chief Minister of Punjab by Governor VP Singh Badnore at the Raj Bhawan, along with his nine Ministers.
The attendance of hosts of Congress’ luminaries was an indicator of the magnitude and significance of the party’s victory in the recently concluded assembly elections in the five states. The Congress party has been able to form the government only in Punjab after its resounding defeat in Uttar Pradesh. Uttrakhand, and other states.
Punjab’s victory is also important for the Congress party from the national perspective of cutting short the march of the nascent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Other than party’s national leaders, the exhilarated Punjab Congress MlAs, defeated candidates, their supporters, reached the venue in large numbers despite Capt Amarinder’s appeal to keep it a low-key affair.
To witness Capt Amarinder starting his second inning as Punjab Chief Minister, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, Rajasthan’s former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Haryana’s former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Punjab’s former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, along with former Union Ministers Sachin Pilot, Ashwani Kumar, Ajay Maken, UP Congress chief Raj Babbar, Haryana Congress chief Ashok Tanwar, among others were present.
Former Union Minister and Capt Amarinder’s wife Preneet Kaur also attended the ceremony along with her son Raninder Singh, Capt Amarinder’s brother Raja Malvinder Singh, his newly-wed grandson and other family members.
Minutes before the beginning of the ceremony, security personnel had a tough time controlling the Congress leaders trying to get through the security cordon at the entrance to the VVIP venue for special dignitaries.
MINISTERS GO MUlTIlINGUAl
As the Chief Secretary Sarvesh Kaushal, now former, conducted the ceremony in Punjabi, Chief Minister and his Ministers went multilingual.
Capt Amarinder, donning full-sleeve kurta and a black jacket with war medals adorning his chest, took oath in English. His loyalist Rana Gurjit Singh too followed him.
While Brahm Mohindra, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Manpreet Badal, Charanjit Singh Channi, Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, Razia Sultana too oath in Punjabi, Aruna Choudhary opted for Hindi language.
Though the senior-most legislator, Brahm Mohindra and Channi fumbled while reading out the oath, while Sidhu conveyed his emotions by laying proper emphasis on each and every word he spoke during the process of taking oath.
PATIAlA’s THREESOME
As the Congress formed a Government in Punjab after a decade long gap, Patiala on Thursday became the epicentre of power, literally.
Not only the Chief Minister is from the erstwhile royal city, but the next two in command — Brahm Mohindra and Navjot Singh Sidhu — also hails from Patiala.
While Brahm Mohindra is elected MlA from Patiala Rural Assembly constituency, Sidhu, who was elected from Amritsar East segment, is Patialvi by birth.
‘THANKS RAHUl’
After oath, time to say thanks! All the Ministers, except Razia Sultana, made it a point to say thanks and seek blessings of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Congress national vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who were sitting in the VVIP enclosure.
Mohindra, immediately after taking the oath, walked up to Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi to take their blessings. Other ministers followed the suit. Rahul warmly greeted Sidhu Channi, and Manpreet Badal.
PM MODI TWEETS CONGRATS
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had called up Capt Amarinder on the day of the declaration of the results, took to Twitter on Thursday too to congratulate the new Punjab Chief Minister, wishing him “the very best in working for Punjab’s development.” Amarinder too tweeted his “thanks” in response.
SElFIE TIME
The invitees, the party supporters, and even the kin of the ministers had one thing in common during the oath taking ceremony — selfie. Twisting cameras, the guests captured their presence in the moments of glory by pressing the camera icon on their smartphones.
The picture perfect time lasted throughput the ceremony with even journalists and supporters posing before their own cameras with their favourite leaders.
From the wife of Capt Amarinder’s newly-wed grandson and Jammu and Kashmir MP Karan Singh’s granddaughter Mriganka to scores of party supporters, all had a good “selfie-time”. Former cricketer Sidhu was the most wanted.
AROOSA: CENTRE OF ATTRACTION
Capt Amarinder’s Pak friend Aroosa Alam was the centre of all attraction. Reaching much before time to attend the swearing-in ceremony along with her sister, Pak journalist Aroosa seated in the first row of the VVIP enclosure.
Almost all the leaders made sure to exchange pleasantries with chief minister’s best friend. That is not all! The journalists, present on the spot, could not resist to click her.
Arusa, while talking to some of the journos later on, said that she hoped for peace between the two neighbouring countries, India and Pakistan. “I will pray for Amarinder so that he could discharge his duties well,” she said.
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