Chhattisgarh: Oath ceremony to be held tomorrow

RAIPUR: The formation of a new government in Chhattisgarh is expected to take shape on December 15, with a grand oath ceremony in presence of Congress national president Rahul Gandhi. The event will be held at the Government Science College grounds in state capital here.
Preparations are in full swing and arrangements are being made for security, dais, seating and pandal at the college grounds.
Sources said that the date has been decided as per the suggestions of priests who said that the ‘shubh muhurt’ (auspicious timing) for the crowning of the chief minister as well as oath-taking ceremony should be held before December 16, considering the position of the planets.
The priests also highlighted that the ‘khar maas,’ the inauspicious one month period begins from December 16 according to the Hindu calendar.
In order to avoid attracting any bad omen for the newly formed government, Congress party has announced to observe the oath taking ceremony on December 15 itself.
Police along with administrative officials were seen inspecting the venue on Thursday with Raipur mayor Pramod Dubey, who took the lead in making arrangements, right from parking facilities to the dais. The oath-taking ceremony would be presided over by Chhattisgarh governor Anandiben Patel.
Party insiders said that the Congress has also booked 12 new luxurious Tata SUVs that will be a part of the chief minister’s cascade on Saturday , while the purchase of more such vehicles is also on the cards for the new cabinet ministers of the state.
As part of the protocol, the chief minister and other ministers arrive at the venue for the oath-taking ceremony in their own cars and the new government vehicles would be parked at the ground and the new ministers would be taken to their respective destinations after the oath-taking ceremony gets over.