The BJP and its NDA allies on Thursday exhibited a show of unity at the swearing-in ceremony of Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel. The ceremony was held at Mahatma Mandi here.

Two stages were decorated for the ceremony. On one stage, Patel and her council of ministers took oath in the presence of Governor Kamala Beniwal.

The second stage was occupied by the special invitees including NDA leaders. Among those present were senior BJP leaders Rajnath Singh, LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Sushma Swaraj, Venkaiah Naidu, Nitin Gadkari, Subramanian Swamy and Ananth Kumar, apart from the CMs of four BJP-ruled States.

Among the NDA allies, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal, Punjab CM Prakash Singh Badal and Aditya Thackeray of the Shiv Sena were seen sharing the stage with Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi.

BJP leader Arun Jaitley was conspicuous by his absence. Jaitley, who had lost the recent Lok Sabha elections from Amritsar, is a Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat.

Patel, after taking oath as Gujarat’s 15th CM — and the first woman to take up the post — inducted 20 ministers in her council of ministers. The six existing six Cabinet ministers will continue in their respective posts.

Modi made a surprise move by stepping down from the stage and rushing towards the audience, only to bow before former CM Keshubhai Patel and draw him to the stage to sit beside him.

In 2001, Keshubhai had been stripped of the CM post rather unceremoniously to pave the way for Modi.

Over the past 10 years, Keshubhai has been vocal against Modi and his governance and even floated his own party, which was subsequently merged with the BJP.

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