Fadnavis takes oath as Maharashtra CM in the presence of PM Modi
Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday took oath as the chief minister of Maharashtra for the third time, marking his return to the top post after five years.
The swearing-in ceremony at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan was a star-studded event, with several dignitaries from politics and the entertainment industry in attendance.
Along with Fadnavis, Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar took oath as deputy chief ministers.
Shinde, who served as the chief minister in the previous term of the Mahayuti government, agreed to be Fadnavis’ deputy after long deliberations with his allies and party members.
This fresh term for Fadnavis follows two weeks of intense power-sharing talks within the Mahayuti alliance after it secured a decisive majority in the state election. The BJP alone bagged 132 seats, solidifying its dominant role in the alliance.
Eknath Shinde, under whose stewardship the Mahayuti won the election, was reportedly reluctant to let go of the chief minister’s post. Over the past two days, Fadnavis held multiple rounds of discussions with Shinde to iron out the differences.