North News
Mumbai, December 5
BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis took the oath of office as Maharashtra’s Chief Minister for the third time today at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in attendance.
Fadnavis, who previously served as CM in 2014 and briefly in 2019, returns to power after the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in 2022, paving the way for the victory of the Mahayuti coalition. Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) leader Eknath Shinde and NCP’s Ajit Pawar were sworn in as deputy chief ministers.
Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan administered the oath of office to the new leadership. In the recent Maharashtra Assembly elections, the Mahayuti coalition secured a decisive win, with BJP winning 132 of the 148 contested seats, and Shiv Sena securing 57 seats. Fadnavis’s nomination was endorsed by BJP leadership, including Modi and Shah, at a core committee meeting.
The swearing-in ceremony of the newly-elected Maharashtra government saw a remarkable turnout of over 42,000 attendees, including prominent figures from various fields. High-profile guests at the event included Bollywood icons Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit, and industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla. Mukesh Ambani, accompanied by Radhika Merchant and Anant Ambani, was also present for the ceremony, adding to the star-studded atmosphere.
Special arrangements were made to accommodate 40,000 BJP supporters, while a separate section was designated for 2,000 VVIPs, including religious leaders. Security was tight, with over 4,000 police personnel deployed to ensure the smooth conduct of the event.
