RMC employees stage a dharna in Ranchi on Friday. Picture by Manik Bose

Ranchi, April 11: Some got new clothes stitched, few bought readymade ones, some would offer puja, while the rest would depend on “lucky old attire” — all for the oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected mayor, deputy mayor and 55 ward commissioners.

South Chhotanagpur commissioner Bishnu Kumar would administer the oath of office tomorrow to all 57 newly elected public representatives at Mahatma Gandhi town hall. A large gathering of people is expected to be in attendance at the ceremony that is scheduled to start at 11am.

“I am contemplating to wear an old cream coloured sari that is a lucky charm for me. Hailing from a traditional background, I would first go to offer puja to Parvati and Mahadev at madai (tribal worshipping place).

Along with 25 of my close family members and party activists, I would attend the main function, while the rest of the supporters would wait outside the main venue as I have been issued only 25 passes,” said Rama Khalkho, the mayor-elect of Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC).

Deputy mayor Ajan Nath Shahdeo “is actually feeling nervous” in taking up his first “social assignment” but as a modern guy, who means business, he would prefer to don normal clothes and claimed not to have undertaken special arrangements for the ceremony.

But for the ward commissioner elect of ward num- ber six, Mohammad Javed, the occasion seems to be a spe- cial one.

“I would sport a newly stitched pair of spotless shirt and trousers or of kurta pyjama,” he told The Telegraph.

The ward commissioner of ward number 16, Nazima Raza, would take part in the ceremony only after offering namaaz (prayer).

“I would accompany my husband, brother and few other close associates for the ceremony,” she said.

The ward commissioner elect of ward number 44, Urmila Devi, is a bit lucky for her part. For her husband, N.K. Yadav, happens to be a former ward commissioner elected in the civic body polls, which were last held in 1986.

“No special shopping has been done for the ceremony. But my past experience as ward commissioner would certainly help her out in her future endeavours,” the proud husband said.

RMC authorities have issued 25 passes each to the mayor and the deputy mayor elect so as to invite their close associates to watch the oath-taking ceremony, while five passes each have been distributed to each of the 55 ward commissioners.

Invitations have also been extended to local MLAs of Ranchi, Khijri, Hatia, and Kanke, as RMC’s jurisdiction spread in these areas.

Local MP and Union mi- nister of state for food processing Subodh Kant Sahay has also been invited to the function.

The much-delayed oath-taking ceremony of RMC representatives has somehow dampened the overall spirit of elected representatives, who were declared winners between March 27 to March 30 after prolonged hours of counting process.