Anandiben is new Gujarat CM, heads 21-member ministry

Gandhinagar, May 22 (IANS) Senior BJP leader Anandiben Patel took oath as Gujarat's first woman chief minister here Thursday at the head of a 21-member ministry.

Governor Kamla Beniwal administered the oath of office and secrecy to Patel, 73, and her ministers at a public ceremony at the sprawling Mahatma Mandit convention centre here.

Later, 20 cabinet colleagues were also sworn in.

Patel succeeds Narendra Modi, who resigned as chief minister Wednesday and is set to become India's new prime minister Monday.

Also Wednesday, Patel was elected chief of the Bharatiya Janata Party legislature wing.

Besides Modi, senior BJP leaders including party president Rajnath Singh, L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Arun Jaitley attending Thursday's ceremony.