Eknath Shinde to take oath as Maharashtra's deputy CM tomorrow: Report

Apart from Shinde, NCP leader Ajit Pawar will also take oath as the second deputy chief minister of Maharashtra.

Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde will reportedly take oath as the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra in Mumbai's Azad Maidan on Thursday. BJP's Devendra Fadnavis will be sworn in as the chief minister of the state.

Mumbai: Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde with BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis and NCP chief Ajit Pawar during a press conference.(PTI)

Apart from Shinde, NCP leader Ajit Pawar will also take oath as the second deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, reported ANI.

Earlier today, Fadnavis asked the Sena leader to join his future cabinet. "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," said the chief minister-designate.

Asked about whether he would take oath tomorrow, Shinde said he would announce his decision in the evening.

Eknath Shinde wanted to become the chief minister of Maharashtra. However, the BJP, the single-largest party in the state assembly, refused to budge on his demand.

He later declared that he would back the BJP's chief minister pick. He also went to Thane for several days citing health issues, triggering speculation of internal discord in the coalition. He returned to Mumbai on Tuesday.

Earlier today, Devendra Fadnavis was elected as the Leader of the Maharashtra BJP Legislative Party. He met Governor CP Radhakrishnan to stake a claim to form the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra.

Fadnavis was flanked by Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar. The BJP leader later announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend his oath event in Mumbai tomorrow.

"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 finalise by evening who will take the oath tomorrow. Yesterday, I met Eknath Shinde and requested him to join us in this government, as it is the wish of Mahayuti workers. I am confident he will be with us. We will fulfil the promises made to the people of Maharashtra," he said.

Shinde today expressed his satisfaction at the performance of the Mahayuti government under him.

"I am very happy with the completion of two-and-a-half years. The work done by our government – the Mahayuti government – by the three of us and our team in the last 2.5 years is remarkableIt will be written in golden letters in history. We are proud to have taken such significant decisions," he said.

In the recent Maharashtra assembly election, the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP alliance scored a landslide victory after winning 235 seats. The BJP emerged as the single-largest party with 132 seats.

With inputs from ANI