NEW DELHI, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- India's northern hilly state Himachal Pradesh got Jairam Thakur as its new chief minister on Wednesday.

His swearing-in ceremony took place in state capital Shimla, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Amit Shah, and a host of other senior party leaders.

Besides Thakur, 11 other ministers also took oath of office and secrecy from state Governor Acharya Devvrat.

In the state election held earlier this month, the BJP won 44 seats in the 68-member state assembly, thereby replacing the erstwhile Congress government.

Thakur, 52, is a five-time state legislator from the BJP. He emerged as the unanimous choice of his party for the post, after chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal lost the election.

He is the 14th chief minister of Himachal Pradesh, a state famous for picturesque tourist destinations.