Maharashtra CM Swearing-In Ceremony: Here's Everything You Need To Know As Devendra Fadnavis Takes Oath Today

BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis will take oath on Thursday as the 18th Chief Minister of Maharashtra, ending an over two-week-long impasse after the Mahayuti alliance secured a thumping victory in the state elections. This will be the third stint of Fadnavis as the Maharashtra CM.

Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde and NCP leader Ajit Pawar will also be sworn in as the Deputy Chief Ministers, as per PTI sources.

Here is everything you need to know about the Maharashtra chief minister oath-taking ceremony.

The Maharashtra Chief Minister oath-taking ceremony is set to take place at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 5. This comes weeks after the Mahayuti alliance – consisting of BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP – secured a landslide victory by securing 235 out of the 288 assembly seats in the state.

Devendra Fadnavis will be sworn in as the next CM of Maharashtra at the Azad Maidan Ground in Mumbai.  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah will attend the oath-taking ceremony. A host of other prominent dignitaries, including chief ministers of NDA-ruled states are also expected to attend the event.

The Mumbai Traffic Police has already issued an advisory about restrictions to be imposed on Dec. 5 due to oath-taking ceremony. To ease vehicular movement around the Azad Maidan area, several roads will remain blocked for commuters. The Mumbai Traffic Police has asked people to use public transport to reach the ground as no parking facility will be available at Azad Maidan.

Roads including Maha Palika Marg, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Hajarimal Somani Marg and Meghdoot Bridge have been made no-entry zones. The traffic department asked citizens to plan their commute accordingly as a large number of people are expected to gather.

According to a report by NDTV, the Maharashtra CM swearing-in ceremony is expected to attract around 42,000 people. Seating arrangements have been made for 2,000 VIPs, including political and religious leaders.

On Wednesday, the BJP convened an important legislature party meeting in Mumbai, where Devendra Fadnavis was selected as the Chief Minister. His name was proposed by former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani, with senior BJP leaders such as Sudhir Mungantiwar and Pankaja Munde unanimously supporting the nomination. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was also present at the meeting.

This is the third stint of Devendra Fadnavis as the chief minister of Maharashtra. He became the youngest CM of the state at age 44 in October 2014 and served in the top post till 2019. However, his second stint lasted just five days from Nov. 23 to Nov. 28, 2019, after an undivided Shiv Sena broke its alliance with the BJP.