Vasundhara Raje to take oath Dec 13

Vasundhara Raje, the BJP's chief minister-elect in Rajasthan, will be sworn-in Dec 13. She met Governor Margaret Alva Tuesday and staked claim to form the government in the state.

This would be second time that Raje is to be the chief minister of the state. Her first chief ministerial stint in the desert state was from 2003 to 2008.

The BJP legislature party Monday unanimously elected Vasundhara Raje as its leader. She is also the president of the party's state unit.

"Raje met Governor Margaret Alva at the Governor House today (Tuesday) in the morning and staked claim to form government. She was accompanied by senior leaders like Gulab Chand Kataria, Onkar Singh Lakhawat and Bhawani Singh Rajawat," said a senior BJP leader.

The BJP Sunday recorded a thumping victory in Rajasthan, ending five years of the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress rule.

BJP candidates were declared elected in 162 of Rajasthan's 199 constituencies where elections were held. In Churu constituency, polling has been postponed to Dec 13 due to death of a Bahujan Samaj Party candidate.

In 2003, Raje was sworn-in as the chief minister along with eight cabinet ministers and one minister of state.

This time, over half a dozen senior leaders are also likely to join in as the members of her new cabinet.

The oath taking ceremony is likely to be held on Janpath near the state assembly and senior BJP leaders, including its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, are expected to attend the ceremony.