Ajit Pawar says Maharashtra CM will be from BJP, allies to get deputy CM posts

India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's central leadership is yet to announce the next chief minister of the Indian state of Maharashtra. In an update on the situation Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Ajit Pawar, who currently holds the position of deputy chief minister in the caretaker government, confirmed on Saturday (Nov 30) that the state will be led by a member of the BJP and there will be two deputy CMs from other Mahayuti constituents.

The BJP has also confirmed that the new Mahayuti government will be formally sworn in on December 5, 2024, at Azad Maidan in Mumbai, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi set to attend the event.

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Oath-taking ceremony is set for December 5

Chandrashekhar Bawankule, the state BJP chief, confirmed the date of the ceremony on Saturday, sharing the details on X (formerly Twitter). "The oath-taking ceremony of the Mahayuti Government in Maharashtra will be held in the presence of Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji on Thursday, December 5, 2024, at 5 PM at Azad Maidan, Mumbai," Bawankule posted.

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The upcoming government will be a coalition of the BJP, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). This alliance, known as Mahayuti, secured a commanding 230 out of 288 assembly seats in the Maharashtra elections held on November 20. 

The BJP emerged as the largest party with 132 seats, followed by Shiv Sena with 57 and NCP with 41 seats.

As the new government takes shape, all eyes are on the leadership structure and the formal induction of the next CM, with the swearing-in ceremony on December 5 expected to clarify the political landscape in Maharashtra.

(With inputs from agencies)