Fadnavis to be sworn in as Maharashtra CM today, Shiv Sena to skip function
The ceremony will be attended by heavyweights including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party president Amit Shah and celebrities.
Friday is being tipped as show-time for the BJP, which will form its first government in Maharashtra with what's being billed as an epic inauguration ceremony at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium. The ceremony will be attended by heavyweights including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah besides top celebrities. The show designed by Nitin Desai and to be attended by around 40,000 people will be secured by thousands of policemen. A total of 7 ministers including Fadnavis tipped to be sworn-in.
The function will start at around 2 PM with a cultural programme followed by arrival of guests. Devendra Fadnavis will be sworn in Maharashtra 19th Chief Minister at around 4:30 PM.
Meanwhile, while expecting the new government to bring happier days Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray has wished Devendra Fadanvis for his innnings. Uddhav said that people of Maharashtra expect him to be better than his predecessors.
Shiv Sena leaders to skip ceremony
Shiv Sena on Thursday made it clear that its leaders won't be attending Devendra Fadnavis' swearing-in ceremony if it remains unrepresented in new Maharashtra government.
Shiv Sena, which has been blowing hot and cold over joining the new government, said, "We have constantly been humiliated by the BJP, which has not gone down well with our MLAs."
"As our MLAs feel that BJP did not give us due respect, why should we attend the oath-taking ceremony?" Sena MP Vinayak Raut said after meeting party president Uddhav Thackeray.
The tough posturing by Sena came hours after BJP said no minister from that party was likely to be inducted on Friday.
"It seems unlikely that any Shiv Sena minister will be sworn in tomorrow. Talks with Sena are on in an amicable atmosphere for a possible tie-up in Maharashtra but there has been no outcome yet," BJP general secretary Rajiv Pratap Rudy said.
Maintaining that BJP was looking forward to a decision soon, he said, "This may not happen tomorrow."
Rudy said BJP has accepted NCP's offer of outside support in the larger interest of development of Maharashtra.
"Any political group, formation or individual ready to extend unconditional support to the BJP government in the larger interest of development of Maharashtra will certainly be welcome without reservations," he said.