CMs of four states sworn in

NEW DELHI, Oct 11 (UNI) — A nine-member two-tier Telugu Desam Party (TDP) ministry headed by Mr N Chandrababu Naidu was sworn in in Andhra Pradesh and a change of guard took place in Karnataka's Vidhana Soudha as Mukut Mithi in Arunachal Pradesh and Pawan Kumar Chamling in Sikkim began fresh terms as Chief Ministers.

The swearing in ceremonies took place at simple but impressive functions in Bangalore, Itanagar, Sikkim and Hyderabad where the new council of ministers was greeted by yellow-clad party workers wearing angavastrams.

Former CBI Director K Vijayarama Rao, Speaker of the dissolved Assembly Y Ramakrishnudu and TDP Politburo member V Sobanadeshwar Rao were among the new faces inducted into the Naidu Cabinet.

Another new face Mrs S Saraswathi of Cuddapah district, the lone woman member in the ministry, is a minister of state.

Governor C Rangarajan administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr Naidu and the other ministers at a brief ceremony.

Later, Mr Naidu told waiting newspersons that the Cabinet expansion would take place "as soon as possible". The portfolios were expected to be allotted later. The other Cabinet ministers are Mr P Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Mr Devender Goud, Mr A Madhav Reddy and Mr B V Mohanreddy.

In Bangalore Mr Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishnna was sworn in as the 16th Chief Minister of Karnataka at an impressive function held in the portals of the Vidhana Soudha.

Governor Khurshed Alam Khan administered the oath of office and secrecy to 67-year-old Krishna before a large gathering.

Mr Krishna will induct his council of ministers at a later date after consultations with the Congress high command.

A two-tier, 38-member Congress ministry headed by Mr Mukut Mithi was sworn in today in the Arunachal Pradesh capital, Itanagar.

Mr Mithi was the first to take oath followed by other ministers in groups of five from Governor Arvind Dave.

The ministry comprises 25 Cabinet ministers, including the Chief Minister and 13 Ministers of State.

Mr Mithi has assumed the office of the Chief Minister for the second time in this border state.

All but one of the old Cabinet colleagues of Mr Mithi were given berth in the newly formed ministry.

In Gangtok a 17-member two-tier Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) ministry, headed by Mr Pawan Chamling, was sworn in at a simple function at the Raj Bhavan here today.

Governor Chaudhury Randhir Singh administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr Chamling and his council of ministers.

Later, speaking to newspersons Mr Chamling said the party's lone woman legislator Kalawai Subba would become the Himalayan state's first woman Speaker.