Congress CMs take oath in three Hindi heartland states amid opposition bonhomie, absence of key allies

The Congress chief ministers in three heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh took oath amid much fanfare on 17 December 2018 in the presence of party president Rahul Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and a host of opposition leaders. It was heartening to see the bonhomie amongst political leaders and alliance partners from different states amid talks of a united anti-BJP front at an all-India level to defeat the ruling party in the Lok sabha elections next year. But the absence of key Mahagathbandhan allies like BSP supremo Mayawati, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal was all too visible.
The Congress chief ministers in three heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh took oath amid much fanfare on 17 December 2018 in the presence of party president Rahul Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and a host of opposi
The Congress chief ministers in three heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh took oath amid much fanfare on 17 December 2018 in the presence of party president Rahul Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and a host of opposi
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Kamal Nath took oath in Bhopal as the new Madhya Pradesh CM in the shadow of protests against his alleged role in the anti-Sikh riots, in which his party colleague Sajjan Kumar was sentenced to life imprisonment on Monday. Jyotiradia Scindia and Rahul Gandhi are seen to his right here. (Photo | PTI)
Kamal Nath took oath in Bhopal as the new Madhya Pradesh CM in the shadow of protests against his alleged role in the anti-Sikh riots, in which his party colleague Sajjan Kumar was sentenced to life imprisonment on Monday. Jyotiradia Scindia and Rahul Gandhi are seen to his right here. (Photo | PTI)
In a rare photo together, outgoing Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje hugs her nephew and Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Jyotiradia Scindia in Jaipur. (Photo | PTI)
In a rare photo together, outgoing Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje hugs her nephew and Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Jyotiradia Scindia in Jaipur. (Photo | PTI)
Outgoing Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje greets newly sworn in Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot (on left) and new deputy CM Sachin Pilot (right). (Photo | PTI)
Outgoing Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje greets newly sworn in Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot (on left) and new deputy CM Sachin Pilot (right). (Photo | PTI)
Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot is an old hand at this job. He first became the state's chief minister in 1998, the second time in 2008 and is now set to be sworn in for a third stint. At a conjurors' convention in 2015 which he inaugurated by performing a little trick of his own, Gehlot said he would have followed in his magician father's footsteps had he not joined politics. (Photo | PTI)
Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot is an old hand at this job. He first became the state's chief minister in 1998, the second time in 2008 and is now set to be sworn in for a third stint. At a conjurors' convention in 2015 which he inaugurated by performing a little trick of his own, Gehlot said he would have followed in his magician father's footsteps had he not joined politics. (Photo | PTI)
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu greets Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot (on left); Other opposition leaders including Siddaramaiah congratulating Kamal Nath (on right). (Photo | PTI)
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu greets Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot (on left); Other opposition leaders including Siddaramaiah congratulating Kamal Nath (on right). (Photo | PTI)
(From right to left): Rahul Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, HD Deve Gowda, Siddaramaiah, Chandrababu Naidu, HD Kumaraswamy, V Narayanaswamy, Mallikharjun Kharge, Sharad Pawar, Sharad Yadav and Farooq Abdullah during the swearing-in-ceremony of Ashok Gehlot's government in Jaipur. (Photo | PTI)
(From right to left): Rahul Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, HD Deve Gowda, Siddaramaiah, Chandrababu Naidu, HD Kumaraswamy, V Narayanaswamy, Mallikharjun Kharge, Sharad Pawar, Sharad Yadav and Farooq Abdullah during the swearing-in-ceremony of Ashok Gehlot's government in Jaipur. (Photo | PTI)
A STRONG UNITED FRONT? The good show by the Congress in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh is a possible trailer for the 2019 Lok Sabha mega battle. (Photo | PTI)
A STRONG UNITED FRONT? The good show by the Congress in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh is a possible trailer for the 2019 Lok Sabha mega battle. (Photo | PTI)
Outgoing Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan changed his official twitter bio from “the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh” to “the Common Man of Madhya Pradesh” which when abbreviated also means CM of MP. He is going to stay the course and prepare the ground for the BJP’s 2019 poll battle. (Photo | PTI)
Outgoing Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan changed his official twitter bio from “the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh” to “the Common Man of Madhya Pradesh” which when abbreviated also means CM of MP. He is going to stay the course and prepare the ground for the BJP’s 2019 poll battle. (Photo | PTI)
In another heartwarming gesture, outgoing Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh hugs his successor, the newly sworn-in Bhupesh Baghel. (Photo | PTI)
In another heartwarming gesture, outgoing Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh hugs his successor, the newly sworn-in Bhupesh Baghel. (Photo | PTI)
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Loktantrik Janata Dal chief Sharad Yadav and other senior opposition leaders on their way to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Ashok Gehlot's government in Jaipur. (Photo | PTI)
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Loktantrik Janata Dal chief Sharad Yadav and other senior opposition leaders on their way to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Ashok Gehlot's government in Jaipur. (Photo | PTI)
DMK chief MK Stalin (seen behind Rahul Gandhi) recently proposed Rahul's name as the prime ministerial candidate of the national anti-BJP alliance being formed but many other opposition parties flagged their reservations saying it was premature to talk about it. (Photo | PTI)
DMK chief MK Stalin (seen behind Rahul Gandhi) recently proposed Rahul's name as the prime ministerial candidate of the national anti-BJP alliance being formed but many other opposition parties flagged their reservations saying it was premature to talk about it. (Photo | PTI)
Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath welcoming religious leaders at his swearing-in ceremony (on left); Nath being congratulated by MK Stalin, Chandrababu Naidu, Farooq Abdullah and HD Kumaraswamy. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati, however, remained conspicuous by their absence despite their support to the grand old party in touching the majority mark in MP and Rajasthan, which is being seen as a pressure tactic to keep the resurgent Congress in check in Uttar Pradesh. TMC chief Mamata Banerjee and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal too weren't present. (Photo | PTI)
Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath welcoming religious leaders at his swearing-in ceremony (on left); Nath being congratulated by MK Stalin, Chandrababu Naidu, Farooq Abdullah and HD Kumaraswamy. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati, however, remained conspicuous by their absence despite their support to the grand old party in touching the majority mark in MP and Rajasthan, which is being seen as a pressure tactic to keep the resurgent Congress in check in Uttar Pradesh. TMC chief Mamata Banerjee and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal too weren't present. (Photo | PTI)

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