No opposition leader, including Uddhav Thackeray, Aditya Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule, Jayant Patil, or members of the Congress, will attend Devendra Fadnavis's swearing-in ceremony as Maharashtra Chief Minister today.
The event, scheduled at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan, marks the culmination of nearly two weeks of intense negotiations. Alongside Fadnavis, NCP leader Ajit Pawar and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde will take oath as Deputy Chief Ministers. The invitation indicates that a few additional ministers will also be sworn in.
High-Profile Attendees at the Ceremony
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will headline the list of dignitaries attending the ceremony. BJP leader Prasad Lad stated that the event will also host 9–10 Union Ministers, 19 Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers, and around 40,000 BJP supporters.
Fadnavis Stakes Claim to Form Government
On Wednesday, Devendra Fadnavis was unanimously chosen as the Leader of the Maharashtra BJP Legislative Party. Following this, he, along with Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde, met Governor CP Radhakrishnan to formally stake a claim to form the government.
Fadnavis expressed gratitude towards Shinde and Pawar for their support, stating, “I am thankful to former Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for extending Shiv Sena's support through a formal letter, enabling my swearing-in as Chief Minister.” He described the allocation of CM and Deputy CM roles as a “technical arrangement” and emphasized collective decision-making for good governance.
Mahayuti's Dominant Victory
The Mahayuti alliance secured a resounding win in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, clinching 232 seats. The BJP led the charge with 132 seats, followed by Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) with 57 and Ajit Pawar’s NCP with 41. Two smaller allies contributed one seat each to the tally.
Fadnavis' Political Journey
This marks a significant comeback for Fadnavis, who has been the BJP's foremost leader in Maharashtra. He first became Chief Minister in 2014, serving a full term as part of a coalition with the undivided Shiv Sena.
However, the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance fractured after the 2019 elections over disagreements regarding the Chief Minister's post. Although Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar briefly assumed office as CM and Deputy CM, their government lasted only 80 hours before Pawar returned to the NCP.
In 2022, Fadnavis was expected to reclaim the Chief Minister’s seat following the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. Instead, he opted to serve as Deputy CM under Shinde, demonstrating his adaptability and commitment to the party's larger goals.