Uddhav Thackeray sworn-in as 19th CM of Maharashtra

Mumbai: Shiv Sena President Uddhav B. Thackeray was sworn-in as the 29th Chief Minister of Maharashtra at a mammoth function held in Shivaji Park, here on Thursday evening.

Governor B. S. Koshyari administered the oath of office and secrecy at 6.40 pm to Thackeray – who sported a striking saffron coloured kurta-pyjama, the Sena party’s colour.

In an unusual gesture of humility, soon after completing the formalities, Thackeray stepped to the front of the stage and knelt down, touched his hands and head on the floor to express his gratitude to the people of Maharashtra for the honour bestowed on him.

Besides, two legislators from each of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)’s Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress, also took oath as ministers.

They are: Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde and Subhash Desai, NCP’s Jayant Patil and Chhagan Bhujbal, and Congress’ Balasaheb Thorat and Nitin Raut.

Among the prominent dignitaries present on the occasion were more than 500 farmers and farm widows from all over Maharashtra, cousin and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray, Reliance Group industrialist Mukesh Ambani, his wife Nita Ambani and their family.

At least three chief ministers from other states, six former Maharashtra CM like Sharad Pawar, Sushilkumar Shinde, Manohar Joshi, Prithviraj Chavan, Ashok Chavan and Devendra Fadnavis were present.

Other prominent personalities from all the three parties included Abhishek M. Sanghavi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Kapil Sibal, Rajiv Shukla, Praful Patel, Kishore Tiwari, Supriya Sule-Pawar, Sanjay Raut, Arvind Sawant, Rohit Pawar, Aditya Thackeray and Rashmi Thackeray, the wife of Uddhav Thackeray.

There were Ajit Pawar, his son Parth, Uddhav’s aunt Kunda (mother of Raj Thackeray) who was seen shedding tears of joy at her nephew’s ascent as CM, and other invitees, guests.

A group of Jain monks and sanyasins also turned up impromptu to wish, pray for and bless Thackeray and son Aditya on the stage.-IANS news