Maharashtra Govt Formation Highlights ‘BJP planned govt swearing-in without Eknath Shinde if he remained stubborn’, says Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut

A day after a new government took charge in Maharashtra, activist Manoj Jarange on Friday said a fresh round of agitation will be launched after January 5 if demands of the Maratha community, including job quota under OBC category, are not fulfilled.

Jarange, who undertook multiple rounds of hunger strike during the previous Eknath Shinde-led government, asserted his community was firm on its demands.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his two deputies Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar took oath on December 5 (Thursday), ushering in the Mahayuti 2.0 government.

"They (Fadnavis, Shinde and Pawar) took oath yesterday (December 5). If they don't address the demands of the Maratha community in the next one month (by January 5), we will declare a fresh date for our agitation," the quota activist warned.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has credited PM Narendra Modi's 'ek hai toh safe hai' (together, we are safe) slogan and schemes like the Ladki Bahin Yojana, for the massive mandate the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance got in the Assembly elections.

Hindutva played an important role and counter-polarisation also helped the Mahayuti score the thumping victory, Fadnavis told TV news channels.

“PM Modi's ‘ek hai to safe hai' slogan caught the imagination of the people,” Fadnavis said.

During the election campaign, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had raised the "batenge toh katenge" (divided we are destroyed) slogan, which was followed by Modi's "ek hain toh safe hain" call.

Fadnavis claimed that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra was done with foreign funding of forces working to destabilise India.

Fadnavis also defended his call for "dharma yudh of votes" to counter an appeal by an Islamic scholar for "vote-Jihad" against the Mahayuti alliance.

A Congress delegation met residents of a village in Maharashtra's Solapur district who had raised doubts about EVMs and had announced plans to conduct a "repoll" using ballots.

Residents of Markadwadi village, part of Malshiras Assembly seat, had claimed BJP candidate Ram Satpute's vote count as per EVMs in the November 20 assembly polls was "doubtful" since they believed at least 80 per cent of the votes would have gone to eventual winner Uttam Jankar of the NCP (SP).

While the BJP leader should not have got more than 100-150 votes from their village, the official figures stood at 1,003 for Jankar and 843 for Satpute, the residents pointed out.

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Friday claimed he was not invited for the oath-taking ceremony of new Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, but said he expects his "friend" to work for the overall development of the state.

Patole listed his own expectations from the BJP-led government and these included announcement of a loan waiver for farmers.

Chief Minister Fadnavis and his two deputies Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar took oath on December 5 (Thursday) at a grand ceremony in Mumbai, ushering in the Mahayuti 2.0 government.

Patole, speaking with reporters in Nagpur, maintained he did not get any invitation about the oath ceremony otherwise he would have attended the event.

-PTI

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has demanded the crucial home department from the BJP and talks on portfolio allocation are in progress, Shiv Sena MLA Bharat Gogavale said on Friday.

Gogavale, an aide of Shinde who heads the Shiv Sena, said the cabinet expansion is likely to take place between December 11 and 16, just ahead of the winter session of the state legislature.

The winter session of the legislature will start in Nagpur, the state's second capital, from December 16.

"When Devendra Fadnavis was the deputy chief minister (in Shinde-led government), he also held the home department. Saheb (Shinde) has demanded the home and talks (on portfolio allocation) are in progress," Gogavale said.

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Friday said he had been invited to the swearing-in of the new BJP-led government in Maharashtra, but could not attend the ceremony as the Parliament session is underway.

No prominent leader of the Opposition attended the event in Mumbai on Thursday where Devendra Fadnavis took oath as chief minister.

"I received a call from the chief minister (Fadnavis). He himself called, but as the Parliament session is underway, I told him it was not possible for me to leave the session. But I extended my best wishes to the government," said the veteran leader, a four-time CM himself.

Asked about the perception that BJP ally and previous chief minister Eknath Shinde, leader of the Shiv Sena, was sidelined in the run-up to the government formation, Pawar offered no comment. "I was in Delhi. I do not know what exactly happened," he said.

Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan administers the oath of office to senior Member of the Legislative Assembly Kalidas Sulochana Nilakantha Kolambkar as Interim Speaker of the Assembly, at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai. (PTI Photo)

During the election campaign, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had raised the "batenge toh katenge" (divided we are destroyed) slogan, which was followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "ek hain toh safe hain" (united we are safe) call.

While campaigning, Fadnavis had countered the purported appeal by Nomani for a "vote jihad" against the Mahayuti government by making a pitch for "dharma-yudh of votes".

In the interview to ABP news channel, Fadnavis said: "The voter turnout increased because Congress tried to suppress Hindus. When you try to suppress someone, they rise strongly. Hindutva played an important role and counter-polarisation helped the Mahayuti alliance. Our development schemes and Hindutva worked. Hindutva and development are two sides of the same coin." The voter turnout in this year's assembly polls was 66.05 per cent, up from 61.1 per cent in 2019.

"BJP's Hindutva is a way of life and not related to religious rituals. Muslims have different religious rituals. One should not have a narrow-minded view of Hindutva," Fadnavis said.

-PTI

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that Hindutva played an important role in the recent state assembly elections, and counter-polarisation helped the Mahayuti alliance score a big win.

Fadnavis, who took oath as Maharashtra chief minister for the third time on Thursday, said in an interview to ABP news channel that Hindutva and development are two sides of the same coin and described BJP's Hindutva as a way of life.

He also alleged that opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance had an agreement with people like (Islamic scholar) Sajjad Nomani, wherein it was agreed to withdraw cases of riots filed against Muslims since 2012.

-PTI

(Left) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar with his mother after his swearing-in.

(Right) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde pays tribute to a statue of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray after his swearing-in, at Colaba in Mumbai. (PTI Photos)

The anointment may have taken a few days, but Devendra Fadnavis has looked the picture of a man in control since the November 23 Maharashtra results made the scale of the Mahayuti’s win evident, writes Shubhangi Khapre.

The face of the BJP campaign in the state, he has been sharing pictures with the string of winners making a beeline to his home, posting news reports highlighting his role, and highlighting items on the prophetic lines he spoke in the past predicting that he would be back.

However, his five years in power (2014-19) and the five years since of trying to stay there mean that Fadnavis knows the time for grand narratives is over.

Now that the chief minister’s post is categorically his, the next stage will begin of managing a three-sided coalition and its different power centres.

What does this mean for Fadnavis and the newly formed state government? Read here.

The Maharashtra Legilative Assembly Speaker's election will be held on December 9 and it will be followed by trust vote of the Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti government, which was sworn-in on December 5.

Senior BJP MLA Kalidas Kolambkar on Friday took oath as pro-tem speaker of the Maharashtra legislative assembly, a day ahead of the special session of the newly elected house.

Kolambkar is the senior-most legislator in the new house and won from Mumbai's Wadala seat in last month's assembly elections.

As the pro-tem speaker, a temporary position, he will administer oath to 288 newly-elected MLAs and conduct proceedings of the assembly.

Kolambkar will also preside over election of a regular speaker during the three-day special session of the 15th state assembly beginning from December 7 in Mumbai.

Milind Narvekar, a Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC and close aide of party president Uddhav Thackeray, on Friday extended his good wishes to BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis for taking over as the new chief minister of Maharashtra.

In a story on Instagram, Narvekar, whose party is the largest political formation in the opposition in the newly elected Assembly, also wished Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena) and Ajit Pawar (NCP).

Notably, no major leader from the opposition, including Thackeray, NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra Congress head Nana Patole, attended the swearing-in ceremony of the new Mahayuti government on December 5 in Mumbai's Azad Maidan.

In another story on Instagram, Narvekar paid rich respects to social reformer Dr B R Ambedkar on his death anniversary, which is observed as 'Mahaparinirvan Diwas'.

Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar during a ceremony organised to mark BR Ambedkar's death anniversary, in Mumbai, on Friday. (PTI Photo)

The other message from the picture from Mumbai was for the BJP’s own ranks, writes Vikas Pathak.

By going with Fadnavis as CM, the party made a break from its moves after the Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh poll wins last year, where a central leadership convinced of its own inevitability had plucked virtually nobodies and given them the top state post.

Fadnavis, however, is a power centre in his own right. A BJP leader said the party realised it needed a man like him as CM to retain the party’s primacy in the Mahayuti alliance in the face of shrewd partners such as Shinde and Ajit Pawar.

That from apart, Fadnavis is also close to the RSS.

Read about Maharashtra's parallels with UP and Assam here.

It has taken exactly six months for the BJP to change the perception around its fortunes.

Just after the June 4 Lok Sabha results, when the BJP tally slid to 240 from 303 seats, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed NDA MPs as a collective.

In his speech, he referred to the NDA several times, emphasising the “coherence” of the alliance over the past decades despite the fact that many parties had joined and left it.

The sense of his speech was the centrality of the NDA to a diminished BJP.

Cut to December 5. Having scored a record-breaking win, against the odds, to return to power in Maharashtra, the BJP saw Devendra Fadnavis take oath as Chief Minister at a gala event dominated by stars, particularly from the BJP’s firmament.

Having fought its way back to the top, the BJP did not blink for over 10 tense days as Shiv Sena chief and ally Eknath Shinde tried every trick to stay on as CM. Read this special report here.

A senior member of Maharashtra State Legislative Assembly and nine-term MLA Kalidas Sulochana Nilkanth Kolambkar of the BJP took oath as the Pro-tem Speaker of Maharasahtra State Legislative Assembly at Raj Bhavan, Mumbai on Friday.

He will preside over the swearing-in of MLAs at a special session that will begin from Saturday, Dec 7.

The selection of the Assembly Speaker will take place on Dec 9 after Governor CP Radhakrishnan's address

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, who took oath yesterday, and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde offer tribute to BR Ambedkar at Chaityabhoomi on Friday.

Every year on December 6, lakhs of Ambedkarites from across the country visit Chaitya Bhoomi, the cremation place of Ambedkar, to observe Mahaparinirvan Din (death anniversary) and offer reverence to the Dalit leader and father of Indian Constitution at Chaitya Bhoomi in Mumbai.

Both the string of BJP leaders calling on him to placate him over the past three days, as well as pressure from his own MLAs, seem to have finally convinced Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde to agree to take oath as Deputy Chief Minister, just two hours to go for the Maharashtra government swearing-in.

Sources said Shinde dragged out the matter due to reservations over certain key portfolios, committing only this much that someone from the Sena would take oath as Deputy CM.

On the Sena’s main demand – the Home portfolio, apart from the Deputy CM post – a BJP insider said: “It was conveyed to Shinde that if he is so keen on Home, then the Sena would have to let go of the Urban Development Ministry, as that would then go to the CM. It is now up to him.”

Full report here. Don't miss!

BJP MLA Kalidas Kolambkar sworn-in as pro-tem Speaker of newly-constituted Maharashtra assembly. (PTI)

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut remarked that Eknath Shinde had to take the oath as Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister because the BJP's top leadership was ready to proceed with the swearing-in ceremony without him if he had remained "stubborn." Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Raut said, "Eknath Shinde had to take oath as deputy chief minister. BJP had planned to go ahead with the swearing-in ceremony without Eknath Shinde. Had he maintained the stubborn attitude to pressure the BJP, its brass had informed (the state leadership) to go ahead without him." Raut also criticized the BJP for its delayed formation of the government despite a huge mandate, accusing the party of indulging in "politics of vengeance" by using central agencies. He further noted that some faces at the swearing-in ceremony appeared unhappy, adding, "The same faces were glum when Uddhav Thackeray took oath as chief minister in 2019."

(PTI)

At least three two-wheelers were gutted in a fire that erupted in an open space behind a hospital in Maharashtra's Thane city early on Friday, officials said.

The incident took place around 2.50 am behind the medical facility in Kapurbawdi area, an official of the Thane civic body's disaster management cell said.

Nobody was injured in the incident. (PTI)

Even though it was swearing-in ceremony of a three-party Mahayuti government, it had an unmissable dominance of the BJP. Even during the cultural programmes held before the ceremony, a special performance of a campaign song on Devendra Fadnavis was delivered.

A fleet of Bollywood stars, including Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan, Sanjay Dutt, Madhuri Dixit, Vidya Balan, Ranveer Singh, Ranbir Kapoor, Janhvi Kapoor, and Arjun Kapoor, was also present.

A day after Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the chief minister taking charge of the new BJP-led Mahayuti government in the state, the pro-tem Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, BJP MLA Kalidas Kolambkar, will take oath today. A special three-day Assembly session will begin on Saturday.

What happens in the special Assembly session? As pro-tem Speaker, Kolambkar will oversee the swearing-in of 288 newly-elected MLAs and manage the election of the new Assembly Speaker on Monday (December 9). The session will also include a trust vote for the newly-formed Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti government.

Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan, CM Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CMs Ajit Pawar, Eknath Shinde

paid tributes to Dr. BR Ambedkar on the occasion of his death anniversary. (PTI)

The BJP workers on Friday celebrated with fireworks outside Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis's residence in Nagpur after his swearing-in ceremony earlier today.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday congratulated the Mahayuti alliance -- Devendra Fadanavis, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar for getting a historic mandate in Maharashtra. He said, "This team is a blend of experience and dynamism, and it is due to this team's collective efforts that the Mahayuti has got a historic mandate in Maharashtra. This team will do everything possible to fulfil the aspirations of the people of the state and to ensure there is good governance. I assure all possible support from the Centre in furthering development in Maharashtra."

He also congratulated Fadnavis for swearing in as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

"They have thrown Shinde's future in the dustbin, this is what they wanted to do. They have succeeded in breaking parties and coming to power," said AAP MP Sanjay Singh on the swearing-in ceremony of Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar.

Speaking on the Cabinet expansion and portfolio allocation, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said, "Who will get what ministry, this will be decided by the three together and it is in the final stage. The work of the ministers in the previous government is being assessed and further the decision will be taken on that basis."

Signing his first file after taking charge of the office, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday approved a proposal to provide financial assistance of Rs five lakh for a patient awaiting bone marrow transplant.

Pune-based Chandrakant Kurhade's wife had sought help from the Chief Minister's relief fund for her husband's treatment.

The chief minister put his signature on the file before he chaired the first cabinet meeting.

--With PTI inputs

"This time, the people have given an unbelievable mandate to the Mahayuti, more so to the leadership of Devendra Fadnavis. I hope this is rightly used for the state, the Marathi people, the language and culture," said Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray on X while extending wishes to his "friend" Devendra Fadnavis.

He also said that Fadnavis should have had the opportunity in 2019 and 2022. "In 2019 (post-assembly polls) and 2022 (after the fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government), Fadnavis could not become the chief minister despite the BJP having the highest number of seats," he said.

"Eknath Shinde was not upset at all...When I requested him to accept the Dy CM post, he immediately accepted it," said Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis. He also said, "I have enough experience of being in the government but this time I have the pressure of the overwhelming mandate given by the people of the state."

Maharashtra Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said that the government will continue with the Ladki Bahin Yojana. He said, "We will continue the Ladki Bahin Yojana.. will increase it to Rs 2100...We will keep Ladki Bahin Yojna intact...Those eligible will be entitled."

Addressing the first press conference after taking oath as the Maharashtra Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis said, "Even though our roles have changed the direction and commitment to Maharashtra remains...Now it is a test match ...full five years...All poll manifesto promises will be fulfilled." He further said, "Government will work with transparency ...for state welfare...Will respect opposition not based on their numbers but issues they raise."

Captains of the industry, including richest Indian Mukesh Ambani and Tata Trusts Chairman Noel Tata, attended the swearing-in of Devendra Fadnavis as Chief Minister of Maharashtra on Thursday.

Ambani, the chairman of Reliance Industries, was accompanied by his son Anant and daughter-in-law Radhika at the public event held at Azad Maidan in the country's financial capital.

Billionaire Kumarmangalam Birla, another city-based industrialist, also attended the event along with his daughter Ananya. The father-daughter duo was seated close to financial services industry veteran Deepak Parekh.

Sun Pharma's Dilip Shanghvi and NSE's managing director and chief executive Ashish Chauhan were also seen at the event.

--With PTI inputs

Soon after taking the oath, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chier Ministers Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde arrived at the state secretariat in Mumbai, where they will hold their first cabinet meeting and will address their first joint press conference.

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde took oath as Maharashtra Deputy CM at Azad Maidan in Mumbai.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen leaving the stage after attending the swearing-in ceremony of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar.

After governing as Maharashtra’s Chief Minister for the last two-and-a-half years, Shiv Sena Leader Eknath Shinde has had to swallow what is likely to be a bitter pill of accepting the post of Deputy CM in the new government that Devendra Fadnavis is set to helm.

However, it did not come without intense negotiations between the two parties, with the surprise over whether Shinde would accept the position or not ending only two hours before the oath ceremony. The Sena held hectic negotiations with the BJP to seal the power-sharing formula and portfolio distribution, with Shinde agreeing to take oath as Deputy CM only after a host of BJP leaders and his party MLAs attempted to placate him over the past week.

Months after the Shiv Sena registered a better performance than the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections — it had a better strike rate — and emerged as the second-largest party in the Assembly with 57 seats, Shinde may have held out hope of returning to the top job. However, the BJP’s historic tally of 132 seats killed off any prospects of that happening.

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BOTH the string of BJP leaders calling on him to placate him over the past three days, as well as pressure from his own MLAs, seem to have finally convinced Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde to agree to take oath as Deputy Chief Minister, just two hours to go for the Maharashtra government swearing-in.

The announcement was finally made by Sena leader and former minister Uday Samant, who said: “Shinde ji will take oath as the Deputy CM of Maharashtra.”

Incidentally, Samant himself had said hours earlier that if Shinde did not accept the Deputy CM post, no one from the Sena would be part of the government

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The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu arrived at the Mumbai Airport on Thursday to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Maharashtra CM-designate Devendra Fadnavis.

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath arrived in Mumbai to attend the oath ceremony of the Maharashtra government.

The suspense remains whether Eknath Shinde will take oath as Deputy Chief Minister or not. Commenting on it, Sena leader and former Minister Uday Samant says, "We all told Shinde ji that if he is not going to take oath as DYCM, none of us will take oath. We told him that he is needed in the government for all of us, Shiv Sena and the people of the state. We told him that he must be part of the government. We believe that Shinde ji will respect and accept our request and he will take the oath at 5:30pm today. The announcement will be made within an hour."

Ahead of oath-taking ceremony, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to meet Ekanth Shinde and discuss portfolios, sources said.

Ahead of Devendra Fadnavis' oath-taking ceremony, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi took a dig at the BJP saying the party's strategy is to backstab its allies. She made the remarks in reference to Eknath Shinde being denied CM post. The BJP had a resounding victory in the Assembly polls.

Chaturvedi told ANI, "I wish the Chief Minister of Maharashtra all the best. I hope he lives up to all the commitments that he has made to the people of Maharashtra. It took the government over 10 days, to decide the CM face...Considering there are so many differences among the three, I hope that the people of Maharashtra do not suffer...BJP's strategy has been to backstab its political allies whether it's Shiromani Akali Dal, Shiv Sena...They (BJP) use and throw as per their convenience..."

As Eknath Shinde stepped down as Chief Minister and Devendra Fadnavis would take up the post, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut slammed the BJP saying, "The era of (Eknath) Shinde has ended, it was for two years only. They (BJP) needed him, now he has been used and thrown away by them. Shinde will never be CM of the state ever again."

Ahead of swearing-in ceremony, Devendra Fadnavis offered prayers at Siddhivinayak Temple.

As Devendra Fadnavis is set to take oath as Maharashtra CM, there is cheer among the BJP leaders. Union Minister Piyush Goyal told ANI, " Very excited about the swearing-in ceremony in Mumbai. We will be looking forward to my younger brother Devendra Fadnavis becoming the CM very rightly so...I am happy that Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar will be joining the govt as Deputy CMs...the Mahayuti will once again continue to provide good governance, progress, speed of development and meet the aspirations of people of Maharashtra who have given us such a big victory..."

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is one among the VIPs, who will attend the oath-taking ceremony of new Maharashtra CM. As per the schedule, Naidu will leave for Mumbai at 1:45 pm from Vijayawada airport and will leave for Visakhapatanam at 7:30 pm.

With PTI inputs

The suspense remains on which post caretaker CM Eknath Shinde will take up. However, yesterday while announcing the decision to join the swearing-in ceremony, Ajit Pawar had a laugh and the moment is doing the rounds on the internet.

When Shinde was asked if he would take the oath as the deputy CM, he kept on saying that it will soon be revealed. Cutting him in between, Pawar said, “His (Shinde) decision will be known by evening, I am going to take the oath (unka sham tak samaj me aayega, main toh lene wala hoon).” It prompted a burst of laughter from both the leaders and journalists in attendance.

Shinde shot back saying, “He has the experience of taking oath in the morning and in the evening as well.” A recall of his failed early-morning swearing-in attempt with BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis in 2019, put a big smile on Pawar’s face as well.

Motorists in Mumbai, please be mindful of traffic diversions and restrictions today as new Maharashtra Chief Minister will be sworn-in today. Here are the traffic restrictions and optional routes in the city.

– Traffic will be prohibited from C S M T Junction to Vasudev Balawant Phadake Chowk (Metro Junction). Authorities have suggested an optional route: L T Marg – Chakala Junction – Right turn – D N Road – C S M T Junction – towards the desired destination and vice versa.

– Two-way traffic from Chafekar Bandhu Chowk (O C S Junction) to Vasudev Balawant Phadake Chowk (Metro Junction) will be prohibited.

Optional route:

1) L T Marg – Chakala Junction – Right turn – DN Road – CSMT Junction – towards the desired destination and vice versa.

2) Traffic will be diverted to Maharishi Karve Road – towards the desired destination.

– Hazarimal Somani Marg: Traffic from Chafekar Bandhu Chowk (O C S Junction) to CSMT Junction will be prohibited.

Optional route: Chafekar Bandhu Chowk (O.C.S Junction) Hutatma Chowk – Kalaghoda – K Dubhash Marg – Shahid Bhagatshing Marg – towards the desired destination.

– Meghdoot Bridge (Princess Street Bridge) [south bound] – From N S Road and Coastal Road towards Shamaldas Gandhi Junction. Motorists have been asked to take N S Road.

– Rambhau Salgaonkar Road (One Way): The stretch of Rambhau Salgaonkar Road from Indu Clinic Junction (Sayyed Jamadar Chowk) to Volga Chowk will be open for both-way vehicular traffic from 12 noon to 8 pm

As PM Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah among other VIPs will be attending the oath-taking ceremony, Mumbai police have announced stringent security measures around the venue of Azad Maidan in South Mumbai. At least five additional commissioners of police, 15 deputy commissioners of police, and 29 assistant commissioners of police will be deloyed in and around the venue.

Apart from that, 520 police officers and 3,500 constables will be mobilised for security. A dedicated team comprising one additional commissioner of police, three deputy commissioners of police, 30 police officers, and 250 other personnel will also be at the venue.

Hello and welcome to Maharashtra CM Oath Ceremony Live blog! Devendra Fadnavis is set to take oath as Chief Minister at 5:30. pm The oath-taking ceremony is set to take place at Azad Maidan and stringent security measures are in place as PM Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and several VIPs will be in attendance. Yet, the suspense remains on the post Eknath Shinde will be opting. Stay tuned for latest updates.