Bhupendra Patel was sworn in as the 17th chief minister of Gujarat on Monday in Gandhinagar.
The announcement of Bhupendra Patel as the new chief minister on Sunday had triggered surprise as he was not among the list of popular 'frontrunners' to replace Vijay Rupani, who resigned on Saturday.
Bhupendra was sworn in by Governor Acharya Devvrat with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, an influential figure in Gujarat politics, in attendance at the ceremony.
Also present were chief ministers of BJP-ruled states—Basavaraj Bommai (Karnataka), Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Madhya Pradesh), Manohar Lal Khattar (Haryana) and Pramod Sawant (Goa)—and Union Ministers Mansukh Mandaviya, Pralhad Joshi and Narendra Singh Tomar.
Only Bhupendra Patel took oath on Monday. It is yet unclear when ministers of the new government will take oath.
Earlier in the day, Bhupendra Patel received Amit Shah on his arrival in the state. Bhupendra also called on Vijay Rupani at the latter's residence in Gandhinagar.
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Before meeting Rupani, Bhupendra Patel met Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel at the latter's residence in Ahmedabad. Nitin Patel had been considered one of the front-runners for the post of chief minister.
In the wake of incessant rains causing a flood-like situation in some parts of Jamnagar, Bhupendra Patel had instructed the district authorities to make necessary arrangements to airlift about 35 people stranded in three villages, which have been inundated and cut off from other parts of the district, a government release said.
