Akhilesh Yadav sworn in as Chief Minister of India's Uttar Pradesh state

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh, India), Mar 15 (PTI) Akhilesh Yadav, son of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, was today sworn in as the Chief Minister of the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, the youngest-ever to hold the office. Akhilesh Yadav at 38 became the 33rd Chief Minister of India's most populous state. With a population of 200 million as per 2011 census, UP accounts for a sixth of the country's entire population. State Governor B L Joshi administered the oath of office. He took oath in the presence of Mulayam Singh Yadav, family members, leaders of various political parties and prominent personalities. Among the dignitaries present were India's parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, Congress party leader Motilal Vohra, Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal, Indian National Lok Dal leader Om Prakash Chautala, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general seretary Prakash Karat, cine actress Jaya Bachchan, and industrialists Anil Ambani and Subrata Roy Sahara. 19 ministers of Cabinet rank were also administered the oath besides 29 ministers of state. Samajwadi Party had romped home winning 224 of the 403 seats in the state legislature in the assembly elections held during February and March, defeating the Bahujan Samaj Party led by Mayawati who was also the chief minister of the state. Akhilesh Yadav who was the president of the UP state unit of Samajwadi Party had played a major role in the party's success in the polls including being its chief campaigner. Akhilesh Yadav at present is not a member of the UP state legislature. As per provisions of the Indian Constitution, he has to get himself elected to either house of the state legislature within a period of six months. PTI Caption for pic: Uttar Pradesh Governor B L Joshi (left) administering the oath of office and secrecy to Akhilesh Yadav as the new chief minister of the state at the swearing-in ceremony in Lucknow on Thursday. PTI Photo