Somewhat surprisingly, there were no senior Congress leaders present on the occasion, barring Margaret Alva and party spokesperson Ambika Soni. The BJP, however, was well represented with Union Minister for Urban Development and Employment Ram Jethmalani dropping in just in time. In fact, the only person missing on the occasion was former chief minister Madan Lal Khurana, who apparently chose to stay away.

While former CM Sahib Singh smiled and joked with colleagues and the media, informing them about his intention to go to Shaheed Bhagat Singh College after the ceremony, Sushma Swaraj kept largely to herself. The ceremony ended with new CM Sheila Dikshit's supporters presenting her a 50-kg garland of marigolds and chrysanthemums. The huge garland was hauled up to the stage by five men and rested on Dikshit's shoulders for a few seconds, supported by the quintet, before it was taken off.

The restive crowd settled down the moment new Dikshit was sighted walking in with the Lt Governor Vijai Kapoor to take her oath. Dressed in a cream silk sari, Dikshit, with her perfectly coiffured hair, drew spontaneous sloganeering and claps that lasted till well after she took her seat on the dias.

The solemn ceremony began with a rendition of the national anthem and people who had been jostling for seats or for an uninterrupted view of the proceedings, settled down quietly in their places.

Possibly the week's most-photographed event since Sushma Swaraj's swearing-in ceremony two months ago, the function began with the oath of office being administered first to Sheila Dikshit and then to her cabinet members. While Dikshit opted for Hindi, Mahender Singh Saathi, Dr A K Walia, Dr Narendra Nath, Krishna Tirath and Parvez Hashmi took it in English. Dr Yoga Nand Shastri surprised everyone by taking his oath in chaste Sanskrit.

Livening up the otherwise routine proceedings, supporters of each minister got up the minute their leader finished taking oath and faithfully chanted slogans in his or her favour. After circulating dutifully among the crowds and accepting congratulations for 15 minutes, Sheila Dikshit, in a style reminiscent of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, rode out seated on the front seat of her official ambassador, waving and smiling to the people queued up.