Mumbai: BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis took oath as Maharashtra Chief Minister for the third time in a grand ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday. Shiv Sena Chief Eknath Shinde and Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar were sworn in as deputy chief ministers.

Fadnavis, 54, elected from Nagpur South West constituency, became chief minister for the third time. Governor C P Radhakrishnan administered the oath of office to Fadnavis and his two deputies. Other members of the cabinet will likely take oath before the winter session of the assembly starts, BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar had said earlier in the day. Fadnavis emerged as the frontrunner for the top post as he was the face of the BJP's campaign and led the party to victory in 132 seats in the 288-member House. 

Shinde, who was chief minister in the previous Mahayuti coalition government, was reportedly not happy as he had to cede the top post to the ally BJP, and was reluctant to take the deputy CM post. The formation of the new government comes after two weeks of intense negotiations following the November 20 state assembly polls and results on November 23. 

Apart from Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president JP Nadda, defence minister Rajnath Singh, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Chief Ministers and deputy Chief Ministers of NDA-ruled states, union minister and NDA leaders attended the ceremony at the Azad Maidan ground here.

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