Devendra Fadnavis invites Eknath Shinde to join Maharashtra cabinet

Devendra Fadnavis said Governor CP Radhakrishnan has scheduled the oath ceremony at 5.30 pm on December 5.

BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said on Wednesday that he will take oath as the Maharashtra chief minister at 5.30 pm tomorrow at Mumbai's Azad Maidan. Addressing a press conference after staking a claim to form a government in the state, the CM-designate appealed to Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde to join his cabinet.

Maharashtra caretaker chief minister Eknath Shinde with Devendra Fadnavis during a press conference in Mumbai.(ANI)

“The swearing-in ceremony of the new government will be held tomorrow at 5.30 pm in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi...We will decide by evening who will take oath tomorrow,” he said.

"Yesterday I met Eknath Shinde and told him that it is the wish of Mahayuti workers that he should be with us in this government. I have full faith that he will be with us... We will fulfil the promises made to the people of Maharashtra," he added.

Devendra Fadnavis said Governor CP Radhakrishnan has scheduled the oath ceremony at 5.30 pm.

Eknath Shinde, meanwhile, said he would decide on the suggestion. "I will decide on the suggestion that I should be in the cabinet," he told the media.

Shinde was also vying for the top post in the Maharashtra government. However, he later said he would back BJP's CM pick.

Shinde had been camping in Thane citing health problems, sparking speculation of internal discord in the Mahayuti alliance. However, he returned to Mumbai on Tuesday and met with Fadnavis.

The BJP-led Mahayuti won 235 seats. The results marked a significant milestone for the BJP, which emerged as the single-largest party with 132 seats.

The Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party won 57 and 41 seats respectively.

Meanwhile, union minister Vijay Rupani today said two deputy chief ministers will take oath along with the Maharashtra chief minister, ANI reported.

Rupani, the BJP's central observer for Maharashtra, said the names of other cabinet ministers will be finalised after discussions with the Mahayuti partners.

He said there were no differences within the coalition. “There are no differences in Mahayuti, all are happy and everything is well,” he said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party today unanimously elected Devendra Fadnavis as the leader of the Maharashtra BJP Legislative Party, paving the way for his coronation as the Maharashtra CM.

With inputs from ANI