Eknath Shinde takes oath as Maharashtra CM, Fadnavis as Deputy CM

Shiv Sena's Eknath Shinde on Thursday took oath as the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra, a day after Uddhav Thackeray announced his resignation from the top post bringing to an end the 31-month-old Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

Along with him, BJP's Devendra Fadnavis also took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of the state. The development comes after BJP president JP Nadda said Fadnavis would be part of the new Maharashtra Cabinet, minutes after he has announced he will not be in the government.

The BJP will extend support to Shinde's group, Fadnavis had earlier said, while adding that he would be out of government but will ensure its smooth functioning.

Meanwhile, Shinde (58), MLA from Kopri-Panchpakhadi in neighbouring Thane city, a Shiv Sena bastion, started out as a grassroots Sena worker, and rose to become the most senior Sena minister in the Uddhav Thackeray government where he handled the urban development portfolio.

At present, the BJP has 106 MLAs in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly and Shinde is leading 39 rebel Shiv Sena legislators and some Independents. After the death of a Shiv Sena MLA recently, the current strength of the Assembly is reduced to 287, thus the majority mark is 144. Shinde, who has been leading a rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray following the Maharashtra Legislative Council polls, met Fadnavis at the latter's residence today.