Captain Amarinder Singh takes oath as Punjab Chief Minister after ten years

CHANDIGARH (INDIA): After guiding the Congress to a resounding victory, Captain Amarinder Singh was today sworn-in as the Punjab chief minister for the second time with nine ministers including Navjot Singh Sidhu also taking the oath.nn75-year-old Amarinder was sworn in as the state’s 26th chief minister. This will be Amarinder’s second stint as chief minister. Earlier, he led the Congress government from 2002 to 2007.nnSpeculation was rife that Sidhu, the cricketer-turned politician, would be given the post of deputy chief minister but he was second among the list of nine ministers to be sworn in. Brahm Mohindra was sworn in as cabinet minister right after Amarinder.nnTwo Ministers of State – both women- were sworn in at the ceremony attended among others by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi. The ceremony was held at the Raj Bhavan here and the oath was administered by Governor V P Singh Badnore.nnSporting a black sleeveless jacket adorned with army medals, Amarinder took the oath in English.nnBesides Sidhu those sworn in were Manpreet Singh Badal, estranged nephew of former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Rana Gurjit Singh and Charanjit Singh Channi.nnTwo women MLAs Aruna Chaudhary and Razia Sultana were sworn in as Ministers of State (Independent Charge).nnThe Council of Ministers has representation from different castes, regions and religious faiths.nnWhile Mohindra, the senior-most minister after Captain Singh, is a Hindu face in the cabinet hailing from the CM’s home district Patiala, the rest of the cabinet ministers are Sikhs which include Charanjit Singh Channi and Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, both from the Dalit community.nnSource: Press Trust of India