The Birsa Munda Football Stadium at Morabadi on Sunday witnessed another history in the making with Jharkhand's first non-tribal legislator Raghubar Das swearing in as the tenth Chief Minister of the State. Governor Syed Ahmed administered oath of office and secrecy to Das and four Ministers of the new Cabinet in the presence of CMs of two States, Union Ministers, senior leaders of the BJP and MlAs of the AJSU-BJP coalition.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah and some other Union Ministers, however, could not attend the occasion as their flight could not take off due to heavy fog in Delhi, BJP leaders said. Nevertheless the Stage was full with senior leaders, including Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Sudarshan Bhagat, Ramkripal Yadav, Venkaiah Naidu, Radha Modhan Singh and senior BJP leaders, including TS Rawat, Sushil Modi and former CM Hemant Soren along with AJSU chief Sudesh Mahto among others.
Das, clad in a red jacket and white kurta took oath at 11:25 am with great cheer from the crowd followed by Khunti MlA Neelkanth Singh Munda, Ranchi MlA CP Singh, Ramgarh legislator of AJSU Chandra Prakash Chaudhary and Dumka MlA louis Marandi.
Clearly, consistent performance in electoral politics was given due importance as three five timers into the Assembly-CP Singh and Neelkanth Singh Munda-including the Chief Minister found place in the new Government.
The scene at Morhabadi Football Stadium was unforeseen in the brief annals of Jharkhand. Crowd of over 15,000 people thronged the arena, including who's who, political workers, supporters, activists and most importantly hosts of common residents of the State. Otherwise held at closed circuits of coveted and inaccessible Raj Bhawan, the ceremony was open for all this time. Most of the chairs of the stadia from where the huge podium could be viewed clearly were occupied.
Enthusiasm was such that regular chant of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' and 'Vande Mataram' continued throughout the ceremony. Much of that was in the expectation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi whose huge billboards were put in every pillar and post, including of the great revolutionaries belonging to the State. However, mood of the expecting crowd dampened little bit hearing news about cancelation of the programme of the Prime Minister.
"Where is Modi," shouted one from the gallery when the oath-taking ceremony started with the arrival of Governor Syed Ahmed at 11.20 am with sounding of the traditional bugle. Chief Secretary Sajal Chakravorty started the proceeding and the Governor using his powers under Article 164(1) of the Constitution invited Raghubar Das to administer oath of the office along with four other leaders as his Cabinet colleagues.
Immediately after taking oath the CM went to Karamtoli area of the city and took part in the cleanliness drive there. later he went to garland Bhagwan Birsa Munda's statue at Birsa Chowk on way to his residence in HEC colony.
"Good and transparent governance along with ensuring the rule of law in the State will be the top priorities of the Government. We will take along all sections of society to see the light of development as promised by PM Narendra Modi during the elections," said Das after swearing-in.
The CM in his first Cabinet meeting called on Sunday evening also took scores of decisions to establish a better connect of the Government with the masses. The move is expected to efficiently make the benefits of welfare schemes reach the people in need.
Talking to the mediapersons at the airport, Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu also assured for a concerted effort both from the Centre and State levels to deal with the Naxal menace and also promised all help in pulling Jharkhand out of its current vicious cycle. His Cabinet colleague Nitin Gadakari said, "Stability of this Government would provide good governance to Jharkhand and desired fillip for all around development."
Meanwhile, the Babulal Marandi-led Jharkhand Vikas Morcha has declined any possibility of the party's merger with the BJP.