Devendra Fadnavis Set For Third Stint As Maharashtra Chief Minister, PM Modi To Attend Oath-Taking Ceremony Today

BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis is set to take oath as the eighteenth Chief Minister of Maharashtra today (5 December), bringing to a close a two-week-long stalemate over the top post after the Mahayuti alliance's decisive win in the 20 November Assembly elections.

The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for 5 pm at Azad Maidan in Mumbai and will see attendance from top BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The 54-year-old Fadnavis will be taking charge as Chief Minister for the third time.

His first tenure spanned from October 2014 to November 2019, during which he became the youngest Chief Minister of Maharashtra at 44.

Fadnavis' second term, however, was notably brief, lasting just five days from 23 to 28 November 2019, after the undivided Shiv Sena exited its alliance with the BJP.

Besides Fadnavis, two Deputy Chief Ministers, including Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar, will also be sworn in today.

Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde, whose initial reluctance to give up the Chief Minister's post dragged on the deadlock, has reportedly agreed to take up the role of Deputy Chief Minister and is also expected to take oath today.

With the BJP securing 132 seats—its highest-ever tally—Fadnavis became the leading choice for Chief Minister.

The Shiv Sena, led by Eknath Shinde, and Ajit Pawar's NCP won 57 and 41 seats, respectively.

In a key legislature party meeting held in Mumbai on Wednesday, Fadnavis was selected as Chief Minister.

His nomination was put forward by former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and supported unanimously by BJP leaders like Sudhir Mungantiwar and Pankaja Munde.

According to BJP leader Prasad Lad, the swearing-in ceremony would be a grand affair with nearly 42,000 attendees.

"PM Modi, nine to ten Union Ministers, and 19 Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers will attend the ceremony," he said.

Lad added that special arrangements have been made to accommodate 40,000 BJP supporters and a separate seating arrangement made for 2,000 VVIPs.

Meanwhile, security measures have been intensified in Mumbai for the event.

Joint Police Commissioner Satya Narayan Choudhary told reporters that the Mumbai Police have prepared a comprehensive deployment plan involving 5 additional commissioners, 15 DCPs, around 700 officers, and more than 4,000 security personnel.

Also Read: Devendra Fadnavis Set To Become Maharashtra Chief Minister As Mahayuti Leaders Stake Claim To Form Government