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Devendra Fadnavis is set to take the oath as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra for the third time at 5:30 p.m. today in a grand ceremony at Azad Maidan. The event will be attended by key political figures, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President J.P. Nadda, and leaders from the Mahayuti alliance. Fadnavis, who was unanimously elected the BJP legislature party leader, will be joined by Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, who will assume the roles of Deputy Chief Ministers.
Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan will administer the oath of office. Following the ceremony, Fadnavis is expected to expand his cabinet next week, with the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP still in discussions over the allocation of cabinet berths and ministries. This expansion is likely to take place on December 11 or 12 after the state Assembly session scheduled from December 7 to 9.
Shinde’s participation in the cabinet was initially uncertain, but after Fadnavis met with him over the past two days, Shinde agreed to join the government. Pressure from Shiv Sena leaders also played a role in this decision, as they urged him to focus on strengthening the party from within the system rather than remaining outside.
Ajit Pawar, who had earlier pledged his party’s support to Fadnavis, is set to make history by becoming Deputy Chief Minister for the sixth time. He confirmed his participation after Fadnavis officially staked a claim for government formation with the Governor.
#WATCH | Mumbai: Maharashtra CM-designate Devendra Fadnavis says, "We have met the Governor and handed over the letter of support to stake claim to form the government in the state. Our alliance partners Shiv Sena and NCP have requested the Governor that I should be sworn in as… pic.twitter.com/ANvWTm3Plc
— ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2024
The swearing-in ceremony will be a major political and public event, with over 40,000 attendees expected, including BJP workers, farmers, cooperative society members, and prominent figures from various sectors. A special arrangement is being made for 2,000 VIPs and VVIPs, including industrialists like Mukesh Ambani and politicians such as Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray.
The security around Azad Maidan has been tightened with over 5,000 police personnel deployed, supported by state reserve forces and anti-riot squads. The event will be broadcast live and displayed on LED screens across Maharashtra for public viewing.
