North News
Mumbai, December 5
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP President JP Nadda, alongside NDA state leaders, are set to attend Devendra Fadnavis’s swearing-in as Maharashtra Chief Minister at 5:30 pm at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan today. Fadnavis, previously CM in 2014 and briefly in 2019, returns to lead the state after the Maha Vikas Aghadi government’s 2022 collapse paved the way for the Mahayuti coalition’s victory. Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) leader Eknath Shinde and NCP’s Ajit Pawar will be sworn in as deputy chief ministers.
The high-profile ceremony is expected to draw prominent figures, including Mukesh Ambani and Bollywood celebrities. Performances by Kailash Kher and Ajay-Atul are planned, with over 40,000 attendees anticipated. Special arrangements for 2,000 VVIPs and tight security involving 3,500 police personnel, including 520 officers, have been made.
Mahayuti leaders, led by Ajit Pawar, met Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan on Wednesday to stake their claim. The BJP-led alliance, comprising BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde), and NCP (Pawar faction), handed over a letter nominating Fadnavis as CM. Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Vijay Rupani were also present during the formal submission.
In the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Mahayuti secured a decisive win, with BJP claiming 132 of 148 contested seats, and Shiv Sena winning 57. BJP’s leadership, including Modi and Shah, endorsed Fadnavis’s nomination during a core committee meeting.
