Eknath Shinde congratulates Maharashtra CM-designate Devendra Fadnavis, keeps all guessing on swearing-in

Maharashtra’s caretaker chief minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday congratulated chief minister-designate Devendra Fadnavis on being elected as the Bharatiya Janata Party Legislative Party leader. However, the Shiv Sena boss did not reveal whether he would join the new cabinet, keeping the suspense alive.

Devendra Fadnavis will be sworn in as Maharashtra chief minister on Thursday, December 5, in Mumbai Azad Maian in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Two deputy chief ministers, including NCP leader Ajit Pawar, will also be sworn in at the ceremony. However, there is no clarity yet on whether outgoing CM Eknath Shinde will be a part of the new Mahayuti ministry to be led by Devendra Fadnavis.

After meeting Governor CP Radhakrishnan, Devendra Fadnavis said, “The swearing-in ceremony of the new government will be held tomorrow at 5:30pm in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I met Eknath Shinde and requested him to join us in this government, as it is the wish of Mahayuti workers…We will fulfil the promises made to the people of Maharashtra.”

Eknath Shinde expressed his satisfaction with the two-and-a-half years of the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra.

“I am very happy with the completion of two-and-a-half years. The work done by our government–the Mahayuti government–by the three of us and our team in the last 2.5 years is remarkable. It will be written in golden letters in history. We are proud to have taken such significant decisions,” said Eknath Shinde.

When asked if he would take oath on Thursday, Eknath Shinde asked journalists to wait till the evening. Ajit Pawar interjected and said, “We will know about Shinde by evening, but I will take it (oath), I will not wait.”

Ekanth Shinde smiled at the response. “Dada (Ajit Pawar) has experience of taking oath both in the morning and evening,” he said, eliciting laughter.

His allusion to an early morning oath-taking in 2019 by Devendra Fadnavis and Pawar as the CM and deputy CM of a government that was to collapse five days later.

Maharashtra CM swearing-in: 10 updates on venues, guests, arrangements

A delegation of the ruling Mahayuti alliance met the Governor at Raj Bhavan on Wednesday, soon after Devendra Fadnavis was unanimously elected state BJP legislature party leader.

At the legislature party meeting held in Vidhan Bhawan, former Gujarat CM and BJP’s central observer Vijay Rupani announced that Fadnavis, 54, has been unanimously elected the BJP legislature party leader.

Speaking at the meeting, BJP’s central observer and Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the “double engine government” in the state and the Centre will boost development.

At the press conference, Eknath Shinde, said, “I am happy that at this place around two and a half years ago, Fadnavis had recommended my name that I should become the CM. Now, we have given a letter of recommendation from Shiv Sena for Fadnavis to become CM. This government is being formed in a healthy atmosphere. I congratulate Devendra ji and wish him the best,” Shinde said.

BJP leader Prasad Lad said the swearing-in ceremony will be a grand affair with nearly 42,000 attendees.
“PM Modi, nine to 10 Union ministers, and 19 chief ministers and deputy chief ministers will attend the ceremony,” he said.

Special arrangements have been made to accommodate 40,000 BJP supporters, and a separate seating arrangement made for 2,000 VVIPs, including leaders from various religions, he said.

More than 4,000 police personnel have been deployed for security during the swearing-in ceremony, an official told news agency PTI.

At least 3,500 police personnel and 520 officers have been deployed for security arrangements, the official said.

The BJP achieved remarkable success in the November 20 Maharashtra elections, securing 132 out of the 288 assembly seats in the state, marking its best performance in the state so far. Together with its allies Shiv Sena and NCP, the BJP-led Mahayuti coalition has a commanding majority of 230 seats.