BJP leader Uma Bharti was on Monday sworn-in as the first woman chief minister of Madhya Pradesh. She will head a 12-member ministry.

Bharti, who steered the BJP to landslide victory in Madhya Pradesh, was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor Ram Prakash Gupta at the historic Lal Parade Ground in Bhopal in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani and a galaxy of leaders.

Attired in her traditional saffron outfit, Bharti took the oath in Hindi. Twelve cabinet ministers and five ministers of state were also sworn in at the ceremony.

Those present at the impressive ceremony included Union Human Resource Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi, Defence Minister George Fernandes, Food Minister Sharad Yadav, Divestment Minister Arun Shourie, Textiles Minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, Haryana Chief minister Om Prakash Chautala and Bharti's predecessor Digvijay Singh.

Among others present were former BJP president Kushabhau Thakre, state BJP chief Kailash Joshi, Union ministers (from Madhya Pradesh) Satyanarayan Jatia, Sumitra Mahajan, Phagan Singh Kulaste and Prahlad Patel.

Cabinet ministers:
Babulal Gaur
Gouri Shankar Shejwar
Kailash Chawla
Raghavji
Dhal Singh Bisen
Gopal Bhargav
Kailash Vijayavargya
Choudhury Chandrabhan Singh
Narendra Tomar
Harnam Singh
Ramakant Tiwari
Om Prakash Dhurve

Ministers of State:
Anoop Mishra
Meena Singh
Jagdish Mubel
Badrilal Yadav
Alka Jain

A special feature of the function was the presence of over 50 saints, sadhus and VHP leaders Giriraj Kishore and Nritya Gopal Das besides a large number of people from various strata of society who thronged the venue to have a glimpse of the new chief minister.