Anandiben Patel calls CM-designate Bhupesh Baghel to take oath of office

The Governor of Chhattisgarh Anandiben Patel has invited Congress' chief minister-designate Bhupesh Baghel to take the oath of office at 4.30 pm on Monday, Raj Bhavan sources said here.

The oath-taking ceremony will be held at Science College Ground in Raipur.

A delegation of newly-elected Congress MLAs led by Baghel visited the Raj Bhavan Sunday.

Baghel, elected as leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) earlier in the day, handed over a letter staking claim to form a government to Secretary of the Governor, Surendra Kumar Jaiswal.

Jaiswal received the letter on behalf of the governor as she was not in the state.

Patel, who is also the governor of Madhya Pradesh, has invited Baghel to take oath as CM at 4.30 PM Monday, a Raj Bhavan release said.

Baghel was accompanied by Congress MLAs Ravindra Choubey, Amitesh Shukla, Rampukar Singh, Mohamad Akbar, Manoj Mandavi, Kawasi Lakhma, Shivkumar Dahariya, Amarjeet and others.

Baghel, MLA from Patan constituency and state Congress chief, was named as next chief minister of Chhattisgarh at CLP meeting.

In the two-phase polls on November 12 and November 20, the Congress romped home to power in Chhattisgarh after 15 years with a two-thirds majority, winning 68 seats in the 90-member House.

The BJP, in power in the state since 2003, was reduced to 15 seats.

(With inputs from agencies.)