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Jogi sworn in as Chhattisgarh CM

Acting chief justice of the Chhattisgarh high court Ramesh Saran Garg administered the oath of office and secrecy to newly appointed governor Dinesh Nandan Sahay, a former director general of police of Bihar.

Later, the governor administered the oath of office to Ajit Jogi, the first chief minister of the state. The rest of the ministers would be sworn in later.

The ruling Congress enjoys a narrow majority with 48 legislators in the 90-member assembly.

Union Ministers L K Advani, George Fernandes, Arun Jaitley, Sumitra Mahajan, Ramesh Bais and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh were among those who witnessed the birth of the new state carved out of Madhya Pradesh.

Notably, seven legislators owing allegiance to former Union minister V C Shukla, a claimant for the top post boycotted the function.

Raipur had been decked up for the occasion and welcome arches had been erected at all the main thoroughfares.

Jogi had earlier been elected leader of Congress legislature party, paving the way for his appointment as chief minister, after hectic parleys between party's high command observers and the 41 legislators.

Jogi faces the twin challenges of ensuring political stability and the threat of Naxalite violence in nearly half of its 135,100 sq km area.

Seven of Chhattisgarh's 16 districts are afflicted by the Naxalite menace.

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