Eknath Shinde, Shiv Sena chief, was sworn in as Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister at a grand ceremony held at Azad Maidan in Mumbai, on Thursday. Shinde took his oath after BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
The event witnessed the presence of several senior leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, and chief ministers and deputy chief ministers from NDA-ruled states. Several Union Ministers and other NDA leaders also attended.
Ahead of taking the oath, Shinde expressed gratitude to PM Modi, paying homage to his mentor, Balasaheb Thackeray and his guru, Anand Dighe. During his address, he acknowledged the leadership of PM Modi and Amit Shah and the support of Maharashtra’s 13 crore voters.
“My respects to Hinduhruday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray, remembering my Guru, Dharmaveer Anand Dighe. Under the strong leadership and the blessing of PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah and by the support of the 13 crore voters of Maharashtra,” said Shinde before his oath was administered by Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan.
Shinde’s Reluctance Over Accepting Dy CM Post
Shinde, previously the Chief Minister in the Mahayuti coalition government, initially showed reluctance to accept the deputy CM position, feeling uneasy about relinquishing the top post to ally BJP. However, after his MLAs urged him to reconsider, he agreed and took the oath alongside NCP chief Ajit Pawar.
The formation of the new government followed two weeks of intense negotiations after the state assembly elections on November 20 and the results announced on November 23.
On Wednesday, Devendra Fadnavis, Shinde and Ajit Pawar met Governor Radhakrishnan, submitting letters of support from coalition partners to stake their claim to form the government. Earlier that day, Fadnavis had been unanimously elected leader of the BJP legislature party.
The swearing-in ceremony was marked by elaborate arrangements. Seating was made for 40,000 BJP supporters, with an exclusive section for 2,000 VVIPs, including religious leaders and dignitaries. Security was tight, with over 4,000 police personnel deployed in and around the venue.
The Mahayuti alliance’s decisive victory in the elections set the stage for the new government. The coalition secured 230 out of 288 assembly seats, with the BJP emerging as the single largest party, winning 132 seats. Shiv Sena claimed 57 seats, while the NCP secured 41.
