Devendra Fadnavis to take oath as Maharashtra Chief Minister

Devendra Fadnavis to take oath as Maharashtra Chief Minister   

Devendra Fadnavis is set to assume office as Maharashtra’s Chief Minister for the third time. The swearing-in ceremony will be held tomorrow at Azad Maidan, Mumbai. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) finalized Mr. Fadnavis as its choice for the top post, ending the speculation surrounding the leadership role. The decision was announced at a BJP legislators’ meeting, where Fadnavis expressed gratitude for the support of BJP’s 132 MLAs.

At the meeting, Mr. Fadnavis thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his backing and assured the legislators that the BJP’s “double-engine” government would prioritize Maharashtra’s progress. He acknowledged the party’s confidence in his leadership and promised to work toward the state’s development.

#MaharashtraGovtFormation | Devendra Fadnavis is set to take oath as Maharashtra Chief Minister at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan tomorrow, starting his third term in the top post@radhika1705 reports pic.twitter.com/aI2NAspIdt

— NDTV (@ndtv) December 4, 2024

The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance recently secured a significant victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, winning 230 of the 288 seats. This triumph allowed the BJP to claim the Chief Minister’s post, with the party winning 132 of the 148 seats it contested. The Shiv Sena, led by Eknath Shinde, initially advocated for Mr. Shinde to retain the Chief Minister position, citing his role in the alliance’s success. However, Mr. Shinde later publicly stated that he would support any decision made by the BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

Mr. Shinde’s position became weaker after the election results, as the BJP needed only one ally to secure a majority in the Assembly. Despite Mr. Shinde’s statement supporting the BJP’s decision, some Shiv Sena leaders emphasized his contributions to the alliance’s victory and voiced concerns about sidelining his efforts.

With the BJP securing the majority, the party’s core committee unanimously endorsed Mr. Fadnavis, who will meet Governor CP Radhakrishnan today to officially stake a claim to form the government.

The grand swearing-in ceremony is expected to mark a new chapter in Maharashtra politics as Mr. Fadnavis resumes his leadership role, steering the state with the BJP’s agenda of development and governance.