Devendra Fadnavis to be sworn in as Maharashtra's Chief Minister today; Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar to serve as Deputy CMs

Mumbai, Dec 5 (NationPress) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis is set to take the oath as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra today, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in attendance.

Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde and NCP's Ajit Pawar will also take their oaths as Deputy Chief Ministers in the newly formed cabinet, according to sources.

The ceremony will be held at Mumbai's Azad Maidan and will include the participation of numerous NDA Chief Ministers and leaders.

After a prolonged period of speculation regarding who would secure the top position, Fadnavis, Shinde, and Pawar met with Governor CP Radhakrishnan to present their claim to establish the MahaYuti government.

Upon exiting the Governor's office, Fadnavis announced, "The swearing-in event for the new government is scheduled for tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. with Prime Minister Narendra Modi present. I have asked Eknath Shinde to collaborate with us in this government, as it aligns with the wishes of MahaYuti workers... We are committed to fulfilling the promises made to the people of Maharashtra."

This marks Fadnavis' third term in the chief ministerial role, following his unanimous election as the Leader of the Maharashtra BJP Legislative Party on Wednesday.

The decision followed days of political maneuvering, as Eknath Shinde expressed his desire to assume the role of Chief Minister. However, the BJP remained firm in their choice, ultimately leading Shinde to support PM Modi's selection.

In the meantime, Eknath Shinde expressed his contentment with the achievements of the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra over the past two and a half years, just before Fadnavis's swearing-in.

"I am extremely pleased with the accomplishments over the last two and a half years. The work accomplished by our government—the MahaYuti government—alongside our team is commendable. It will be inscribed in history with great honor. We take pride in making such pivotal decisions," Shinde stated.

Shinde was joined by Fadnavis and NCP leader Ajit Pawar during a press conference.

Pawar reiterated their dedication to effective governance.

"We will not spare any effort in managing the government. Party operations will be overseen by BJP head Chandrashekhar Bawankule and NCP's Sunil Tatkare," he remarked.

The press conference also featured some humorous exchanges.

When asked whether he and Ajit Pawar would take their oaths on December 5 as Fadnavis' deputies, Shinde replied, "Stay tuned for this evening..."

Pawar responded, "By evening, we will understand Shinde's stance; I will take the oath, I won't delay."

Shinde then joked, "Dada (Ajit Pawar) has experience in taking oaths at both morning and evening times," which drew laughter from the attendees.

In 2019, Pawar had taken his oath as Deputy Chief Minister alongside Fadnavis in an early morning ceremony at Raj Bhavan.

The 2024 Maharashtra Assembly Election saw a remarkable triumph for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, which won a staggering 235 out of 288 seats. This result symbolized a significant achievement for the BJP, which emerged as the largest party with 132 seats.

The Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party also made significant gains, capturing 57 and 41 seats respectively.

Conversely, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) faced a major downfall, with Congress securing only 16 seats. Its ally, Shiv Sena (UBT), won 20 seats, while the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) only acquired 10 seats.