Maharashtra CM oath ceremony highlights: Only our roles have changed, says Devendra Fadnavis

After being sworn in as the deputy chief minister, Eknath Shinde visited Thane's Anand Dighe Math.

He earlier affirmed that he will support chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, adding that he will work together as a team with the CM and Ajit Pawar.

After the oath-taking ceremony of the Mahayuti government, PM Modi congratulated Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar.

He said, "Congratulations to Shri Devendra Fadnavis Ji on taking oath as Maharashtra's Chief Minister. Congratulations to Shri Eknath Shinde Ji and Shri Ajit Pawar Ji on taking oath as the Deputy Chief Ministers of the state."

"This team is a blend of experience and dynamism, and it is due to this team's collective efforts that the Mahayuti has got a historic mandate in Maharashtra. This team will do everything possible to fulfil the aspirations of the people of the state and to ensure there is good governance. I assure all possible support from the Centre in furthering development in Maharashtra," PM Modi added.

Read full story here

Addressing a press conference, deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde congratulated CM Devendra Fadnavis and said that he will support and cooperate with him.

"Devendra Fadnavis has taken oath as CM in a historic swearing-in ceremony. I congratulate him. Maharashtra is a state that gives ideological direction to the country and I, who comes from a simple farmer family, got the opportunity to become the CM of such a state...PM Narendra Modi also supported us completely, gave us full strength. Union HM Amit Shah also stood behind us with full strength...And that is why we could do so much work in 2.5 years. We have taken so many historic decisions. This will be written in golden letters," he said.

Shinde added, "I had said that in this election, we will see the result of the 2.5 year tenure of the government, we will get the blessings of the people. I am also happy that when we started, 2.5 years ago, 40 people were with us, today 60 people are there. Earlier I used to consider myself as a common man, not a Chief Minister, now as DCM, I consider myself dedicated common man... I will fully support the CM and cooperate with him."

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said, "...Home Ministry is such a department in which you get less thanks and more abuses, but despite that you have to handle this ministry with conviction. I handled it with conviction."

"In this term too, our government will take all such measures through the Home Ministry to ensure that law and order remains good in Maharashtra, the people of Maharashtra feel safe. We have repeatedly clarified that we are not against caste census. The first caste census that was done in Bihar was done with our support. We always say that do not weaponize caste census," he added.

"If the census has to be done, then we should first decide what we want to achieve from it and do it accordingly. If an attempt is made to make it a political weapon, then there will be disintegration in the society," Fadnavis said.

In the first press conference after being sworn in as the chief minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday dismissed opposition's allegation that there had been a delay in government formation.

Read full story

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, in a press conference, said he doesn't believe that there has been any delay in government formation.

"Even before this, in 2004, there was a delay of about 12-13 days. In 2009, there was a delay of about 9 days. We will have to understand that when there is a coalition government, many decisions have to be taken," he added.

Fadnavis further said, "In a coalition government, consultation has to be done on a very large scale. We have done that consultation and we have almost finalized the portfolio as well, there is some left, we will do that as well."

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that in the last 2.5 years, the Mahayuti government has worked for the development of Maharashtra and now as well it will continue do so.

"...we will not stop now, the direction and speed is the same, only our roles have changed...We will take decisions for the betterment of Maharashtra. We want to complete the works that we mentioned in our manifesto," Fadnavis added.

Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, after attending the swearing-in ceremony of the Maharashtra government said, "Today is a historic day for Maharashtra. Mahayuti government has been formed. Progress and development of Maharashtra is assured under the Trimurti- Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde, Ajit Pawar."

Leaving from the swearing-in ceremony of the Maharashtra government, BJP leader Ashok Chavan said, "You can well understand what it means when the PM comes here...Today, Maharashtra has got a stable government and now moving forward on the path of progress. The oath ceremony of the MLAs will take place on 7th,8th and 9th December. I think it is a good beginning."

Taking his first decision as the chief minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday approved a monetary assistance of ₹lakh from the Chief Minister Medical Relief Fund to Pune patient Chandrakant Shankar Kurhade for bone marrow transplant treatment.

NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal, while leaving from the oath ceremony venue, said, “It is very good, you can see the atmosphere. People from all over the state came, many leaders came to the function.”

Actor Vicky Kaushal, who also attended the swearing-in ceremony of the Maharashtra government, while leaving from the venue said, “Bahut, bahut badhai” (congratulations) to the new Mahayuti adminstration in the state.

Leaving from the swearing-in ceremony of the new Mahayuti government in Maharashtra, BJP MP Narayan Rane told reporters, ""I congratulate them (Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde, Ajit Pawar) and wish them all the best. It is a good thing that he (Shinde) has taken oath as Deputy Chief Minister, I wish him all the best."

First cabinet of the new Mahayuti government chaired by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has begun at Mantralya in Mumbai.

Following the oath-taking ceremony, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar visited Mantralaya to pay tributes to Dr BR Ambedkar.

After the oath-taking ceremony of the Mahayuti government, CM Devendra Fadnavis' wife Amruta said told reporters, "I am happy. Devendra ji has taken oath as CM for the third time today. He has served the people and will continue to do so in future too..."

Congress MP Pramod Tiwari, following the swearing-in ceremony of the new Mahayuti government in Maharashtra, took a jibe at the delay with which the government has been formed.

"On November 23, the election results came, they got a huge majority and it took 11-12 days to decide who would become the CM and Deputy CM in the government. One can only imagine how a government that starts like this will end. I think today's Deputy CM can become the CM again tomorrow, only God knows who will make it," Tiwari told ANI.

After being sworn-in as the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde has now gone to Colaba to pay homage to Balasaheb Thackeray's statue.

In the lead up to the swearing-in ceremony of the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra, several questions and obstacles were raised.

Here are key points:

• Suspense over who would become the chief minister went on from the day of the Maharashtra election results till the day of swearing-in ceremony.
• Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde were the top contenders in the debate over the Maharashtra CM office.
• Meanwhile, opposition leaders began slamming the NDA for the delay in government formation, saying that it was disrespectful to the people of the state and the electoral process.
• Several report of Devendra Fadnavis being chosen as the CM face and Eknath Shinde as his deputy.
• Finally last week, BJP state chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule announced that the swearing-in ceremony will take place on Thursday, December 5 at Azad Maidan.
• As suspense brewed, it was confirmed that Devendra Fadnavis will be take oath as the chief minister of Maharashtra for the third time.
• Till the day of the ceremony, suspense over Shinde continued. However earlier on Thursday, Shiv Sena confirmed that Eknath Shinde will take oath as the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra along with NCP chief Ajit Pawar. ]
• Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar were sworn in to their offices on Thursday at Azad Maidan in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP chief JP Nadda, NDA ally Chandrababu Naidu and other key dignitaries.

Right after the swearing-in ceremony of the new Mahayuti government in Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra left from the Azad Maidan venue.

On Thursday, Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the chief minister of Maharashtra for the third time, while Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar were sworn in as his deputies.

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy CM Ajit Pawar wore onion-pink colour jackets at their swearing-in ceremony. However, Shiv Sena chief and deputy CM Eknath Shinde was seen clad in his regular white shirt and pants.

Present at the swearing-in ceremony of the new Mahayuti government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated CM Devendra Fadnavis, deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar.

NCP chief Ajit Pawar also takes oath as deputy chief minister.

Moments before taking oath as deputy CM, Eknath Shinde expressed his gratitue towards Bal Thackeray, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the voters of Maharashtra.

Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde takes oath as deputy chief minister.