Mr Manohar Lal Khattar was today sworn in as Chief Minister of Haryana, where BJP has formed government for the first time on its own. 60-year-old Khattar is a first-time MLA from Karnal and a non-Jat leader. He was administered the oath along with nine ministers by Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki at a function in Panchkula. The six cabinet ministers are Kavita Jain, state BJP president Ram Bilas Sharma, Abhimanyu, Om Parkash Dhankar, Anil Vij and Narbir Singh. Three others — Vikram Singh Thekedar, Krishan Kumar Bedi and Karan Dev Kamboj– are ministers of state.

The ceremony was attended by BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party chief Amit Shah, Union ministers, Chief Ministers of BJP ruled states and veterans L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, whose party Shiromani Akali Dal had opposed the BJP during the assembly elections, also attended the ceremony.

In a departure from the past, the oath-taking function was held at Panchkula instead of Chandigarh, the common capital of both Haryana and Punjab.