Friday, March 4 2005 22:16 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Congress Legislature Party leader in Haryana Bhupender Singh Hooda will be sworn in as Chief Minister of the State tomorrow (Mar 5, 2005).

After a meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi, Hooda told reporters that he alone would take oath tomorrow following which he would consult the party high command for expansion of his ministry.

"The Chief Minister-designate will be sworn-in tomorrow evening at 17:00 hrs (IST)," said Congress MP Navin Jindal who also attended the meeting with Gandhi at her official residence 10, Janpath.

Hooda would meet the Governor tomorrow morning to stake claim for forming the Government.

Asked if he would meet the sulking senior party leader Bhajan Lal, he said "I would meet all the senior party leaders and seek their support to run the Government for development of the State".

To a question on why he did not allow Lal to become the Chief Minister, Hooda said he was "no one to do so. The Congress legislators decided to support me and the party high command had given me the responsibility which I am confident, I will be able to fulfil with the cooperation of the party".