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Qureishi takes over as UP governor

Mohammad Shafi Qureishi today took over as governor of Uttar Pradesh.

Qureishi, who is also the Madhya Pradesh governor, was administered the oath by Justice D P Mohapatra, chief justice of the Allahabad high court, at an impressive ceremony held at the Gandhi Sabhagar of the Raj Bhavan.

Qureishi, an Aligarh Muslim University alumnus, took the oath in Hindi and in the name of god.

Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, some of his ministerial colleagues and a number of senior administrative and police officers attended the function.

Congress Legislature Party leader Pramod Tewari was the only Opposition politician who was present on the occasion.

Qureishi, who hails from Kashmir and had been a federal minister for years, was earlier received on his arrival at Lucknow airport by Kalraj Mishra and Surya Pratap Shahi, both ministers.

Qureishi's appointment followed the resignation of Romesh Bhandari on Monday.

Bhandari was in the thick of controversy when he dismissed the Kalyan Singh government and swore in Jagdambika Pal as chief minister on February 21, following defections by Loktantrik Congress legislators. Bhandari resigned soon after the President invited Bharatiya Janata Party leader A B Vajpayee to form the government at the Centre.

Bhandari was seen off today by leaders of different political parties, including Tewari, state Samajwadi Party chief Ram Saran Das, Janata Dal leaders Ram Singh, Chitra Singh and others.

UNI

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