colorplay Maha New Govt: Fadnavis Set To Take Oath As CM For 3rd Time With Shinde, Pawar As His Deputies
Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis Photo: PTI Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis Photo: PTI 
Putting an end to the much-awaited tension over who will be the next chief minister and deputy chief ministers of Maharashtra, BJP's Devendra Fadnavis is all set to take oath as Maharashtra Chief Minister on Thursday.
Along with him, two deputy chief ministers, including NCP leader Ajit Pawar, and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde will also take oath at the ceremony at the Azad Maidan in south Mumbai in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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About the oath-taking ceremony: Top points to know42,000 attendees: According to BJP leader Prasad Lad, the swearing-in ceremony will be attended by 42,000 people including PM Narendra Modi and 19 other state heads and their deputies.
Special arrangements made have been made to accommodate 40,000 BJP supporters and a separate seating arrangement made for 2,000 VVIPs, including leaders from various religions, he said.
Security beefed up: More than 4,000 police personnel have been deployed for security during the swearing-in ceremony, an official said. Besides, a platoon of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF), and Quick Response Team (QRT), Riots Control Team, Delta, Combat teams and the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad have also been deployed.
Traffic wing deployed: In a bid to avoid incovenience, security arrangements have also been made to handle traffic congestion on roads leading to Azad Maidan. 280 personnel of the traffic wing, including senior police officials have been deployed to ensure smooth vehicular movement.
Shinde to take oath or not?Ending speculations over him accepting the role of Deputy Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde on Thursday agreed to take oath NCP supremo Ajit Pawar on December 5.
On Wednesday, speaking to reporters at Raj Bhavan, CM-elect Fadnavis said on Wednesday, “I met Eknath Shinde yesterday and told him that it is the wish of both the Shiv Sena and Mahayuti members that he should be with us in this government. I have full faith that he will be with us.”
At the Raj Bhavan press conference on Wednesday, when a reporter asked Shinde if he and Ajit Pawar would be sworn in as deputy chief ministers at Azad Maidan, Shinde replied, “Let’s wait till evening. The oath ceremony is tomorrow.”
Discord within Mahayuti?In the past few days, several speculations have surfaced ponting at internal discord within the Mahayuti alliance over the selection of candidates for the the CM and Deputy CM designations.
Clearing air over speculations of discontent within the alliance for him for not getting a second term, the Shiv Sena leader and outgoing Chief Minister Eknath Shinde earlier said, "Nobody is annoyed. We have worked as Mahayuti. Our Shiv Sena will fully support the BJP’s decision to name the next Maharashtra CM. There is no speed breaker from our side.”
"I called PM Modi yesterday and also Amit Shah and told them to decide (on who will be the CM post), and assured them that I will abide by whatever decision they take,” Shinde told reporters, as per PTI.
Echoing similar sentiment, Fadnavis also said, "(Eknath) Shinde Saheb, (Deputy CM and NCP leader) Ajitdada Pawar and I are together. There is no dispute in the Mahayuti alliance. Before the elections, we had said that all decisions would be taken jointly with our senior leadership. We will take joint decisions."
Mahayuti's mega victory in 2024 assembly electionThe BJP-led Mahayuti alliance scripted a landslide win in the state assembly elections by winning 230 seats in the 288-member House.
Recovering from its Lok Sabha election lossescolorplay, the BJP bagged 132 constituencies followed by Sena with 57 seats and the NCP with 41 seats, as they decimated the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, inflicting on the Congress its worst-ever defeat in the state.