NEW DELHI, 6 March 2005 — Senior Jat leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda was sworn in as the 19th chief minister of Haryana here yesterday to mark the Congress party’s return to power in the state after nine years.
Hooda was administered oath of office and secrecy by Haryana Governor A.R. Kidwai.
Former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal — who was the front-runner for the job till Friday — was present at the ceremony. He was accompanied to the venue by three central observers — Ashok Gehlot, P.M. Sayeed and Janardhan Diwedi.
Bhajan Lal had softened his stand over being denied the chief ministership after meeting Congress President Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi yesterday afternoon.
Other chief ministerial aspirants — Union minister Kumari Selja, as also Haryana leaders Birender Singh and Randeep Singh Surjewala — were also present.
Just before his swearing in, the new chief minister said he wanted to ensure a peaceful environment in Haryana free from criminals and a corruption-free administration.
“I will throw all the criminals out of this state,” he declared.
Hooda said his government would not be vindictive toward anyone — a reference to his predecessor Om Prakash Chautala — but a thorough inquiry would be conducted into all corruption charges.
Hooda — who is a member of Parliament from Rohtak — said he could contest for an assembly seat from anywhere in Haryana.
“I belong to the whole state. Identifying me only with the Jat community was a lie spread by vested interests,” he said.
Soren to Prove Majority on March 15
Meanwhile, Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren, at the eye of a storm over the manner in which he assumed office, is to prove his majority in the assembly on March 15, it was announced yesterday.
The newly elected legislators will take oath March 10 and the speaker will be elected the next day. The governor will address the house March 14 and Soren will seek a trust vote March 15.
Governor Syed Sibte Razi, who was called to Delhi by President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam to explain the circumstances under which Soren was sworn in, had earlier given the chief minister till March 21 to prove his numbers in the assembly.
The new date was decided on at an all-party meeting called by Razi on his return from Delhi.
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance, which claims it was shortcharged by Razi as it had more numbers, boycotted the meeting.
“We stand by our demand to recall the governor. The Soren government should be dismissed as it is unconstitutional,” said BJP Vice President Babulal Marandi, a former Jharkhand chief minister.
Meanwhile, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), which is supporting the Soren government in Jharkhand, has demanded that all its seven legislators be inducted in the new Cabinet.
