Stage set for Yogi Adityanath's swearing in as UP CM

LUCKNOW: The swearing in ceremony of Yogi Adityanath as the 21st Chief minister of Uttar Pradesh will take place this afternoon in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah.

The ceremony to be held at Kanshiram Smriti Upvan here will see a number of VIPs, including chief ministers of 11 states, besides BJP parliamentary board members and other dignitaries.

Along with Adityanath, two Deputy Chief Ministers-- Dinesh Sharma and Keshav Prasad Maurya, and the Cabinet ministers will also take the oath.

Meanwhile, the CM designate took stock of the preparations for the event today.

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"The list of ministers to be sworn in has reached Rajbhawan and they are being informed," a Rajbhawan official said.

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Deputy CM designate Dinesh Sharma, who is also the Mayor of Lucknow, said, "We all are karyakarta (workers) of BJP. Whatever role and responsibility will be given, we will work on it and give good governance."

After taking charge, Adityanath is expected to hold a meeting with ministers in which some important decisions will be taken, party's "sankalp patra" (manifesto) said.

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The 44-year-old priest-turned-politician will be addressing his first press conference in the evening after taking charge as the Chief Minister, BJP sources said.

Commenting on Adityanath's elevation as the Chief Minister of the most populous state, Union Minister Uma Bharti said, "Narendra Modi becoming PM and younger brother Yogi Adityanath becoming CM are the best news of 21st century."

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Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the swearing in ceremony and around 30,000 policemen have been stationed at the venue.

Adityanath, the controversial mascot of hardline Hindutva, was yesterday named as next Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, in a move by the BJP that took many by surprise.