*The oath ceremony started at 11.10 am immediately after the arrival of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and lasted 54 minutes.
*In a first, some of the BJP Ministers also shouted ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ after taking oath of office and secrecy.
*BJP president Amit Shah and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti were seen having a long chat at the dais.
*BJP veterans and members of ‘Margdarshak Mandal’—LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, who had long history of supporting Jan Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee’s slogan ‘Ek Vidhan, Ek Pradhan and Ek Nishan’ also watched the BJP Ministers taking oath, who would have to keep two flags on their vehicles and offices as the State has its own flag and Constitution.
*Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and newly elected party MLAs didn’t attend the oath ceremony. However, PCC (I) chief Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz and several party MLAs and MLCs including Nawang Rigzin Jora, Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, Aijaz Khan and Rani Billowria among others were present at the ceremony.
*However, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and former Chief Minister of J&K Ghulam Nabi Azad didn’t attend the ceremony. Three Independent and Others—Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami, Hakim Mohammad Yasin and Engineer Rashid also abstained.
*Zorawar Singh auditorium, the venue of oath taking ceremony was jam packed with the visitors. A number of BJP and PDP workers also attended the ceremony. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had also taken oath along with nine Cabinet Ministers in the same auditorium on January 5, 2009.
*Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was attired in black coat pent while Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh was wearing cremish suit. After Mufti Sayeed and Nirmal Singh, PDP’s fourth time MLA Abdul Rehman Veeri took oath. PDP’s Asiya Naqash was the last to take oath.
*The Ministers took oath in English, Hindi and Urdu on the name of God, Ishwar, Khuda and Allah. BJP’s Lal Singh, however, took oath in Dogri.
*Mufti Sayeed warmly hugged Narendra Modi after taking the oath drawing huge clapping. All Ministers shook hands with Modi, Mufti Sayeed and Nirmal Singh after taking oath. Javed Mustafa Mir of PDP had long chat with Modi after the oath.
*However, it was separatist turned mainstream politician Sajjad Lone, whose warm hug with Modi and Mufti drew huge applause and clapping. Lone was inducted as Cabinet Minister from the BJP quota.
*Mufti Sayeed was seen whispering some words in the ears of Modi when Dr Haseeb Drabu of PDP was taking oath. It is believed that Sayeed was apprising the Prime Minister about his new Finance Minister.
*Soon after the swearing-in ceremony was over and Governor saw off the Prime Minister at the airport, he issued a proclamation ending the spell of Governor rule in Jammu and Kashmir.
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