AMN / MUMBAI
Shiv Sena chief and Maharashtra’s chief minister-designate Uddhav Thackeray will take oath to office today at the sprawling Shivaji Park in Central Mumbai.
The state will have a Shiv Sena chief minister after 20 years. The last Sena man to occupy the CM’s chair was Narayan Rane in 1999, after Manohar Joshi, who in 1995 became the first Sena CM.
Thackeray is Maha Vikas Aghadi, a Shiv Sena, NCP, Congress alliance nominee for the post.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi, MK Stalin, Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal, besides all Congress chief ministers have been invited for the swearing-in ceremony.
The swearing-in follows days of dramatic developments, including the three-day government formed by the BJP with the unexpected support from NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who has since returned to the Sharad Pawar-led party fold.
The BJP-led government, collapsed yesterday, after Ajit Pawar stepped down as deputy Chief Minister. Soon after, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis too submitted his resignation to the Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.
The Governor, however, asked Mr Fadnavis to remain care-taker chief minister till alternative arrangements.
A special session of the 14th state assembly was called today where the oath was administered to 285 newly- elected members by pro-tem Speaker Kalidas Kolambkar. Legislature Secretary Rajendra Bhagwat said a decision on the date for Speaker’s election will be taken after the Cabinet meeting, following the swearing-in of Mr Thackeray.
Meanwhile, the Bombay High Court raised security concerns over the swearing-in ceremony of Mr Thackeray as chief minister at Shivaji Park and said holding such events at a public ground should not become a regular feature.
Earlier, NCP leader Ajit Pawar addressed a meeting of its MLAs at YB Chavan centre. He said he informed the MLAs about tomorrow’s swearing-in and that all have to be there.
When asked about his backing to the short-lived BJP-led govt, Pawar said, it was not a revolt. Care-taker Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said he will speak at right time about the support extended by Ajit Pawar to the BJP in forming the government last week.
The MVA of Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress alliance was stitched after hectic parleys involving Sena President Uddhav Thackeray, NCP President Sharad Pawar and Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
The alliance is expected to have a Common Minimum Programme. The CPI (M) has said that they won’t oppose government formation by the MVA.