Suspense ends: Fadnavis back in command as Maha CM, Shinde and Pawar join as deputies

MUMBAI: Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as Maharashtra Chief Minister, while leaders of the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, took the oath as Deputy Chief Ministers at a grand ceremony in South Mumbai's sprawling Azad Maidan on Thursday evening.

- VINAY KUMAR

The swearing-in of Fadnavis as the new Chief Minister capped nearly two weeks of suspense over the top post and a tug-of-war with Eknath Shinde of Shiv Sena, who had headed the coalition government for the past two years.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several Union ministers, and Chief Ministers of various states, along with thousands of supporters of the Mahayuti alliance, attended the ceremony, which took place almost a fortnight after the assembly election results were declared on November 23.

No other ministers were sworn in. The ministry will be expanded next week ahead of the winter session of the state legislature in Nagpur, according to well-placed sources.