Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray was on Thursday, 28 November, sworn in as the chief minister of Maharashtra, bringing the curtains down on weeks of political uncertainty in the state.
Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari administered oath to the saffron-clad Thackeray and six ministers at the sprawling Shivaji Park in Mumbai, venue of the Sena's Dussehra rallies.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Uddhav on taking oath as Maharashtra chief minister and expressed confidence that he would “work diligently for the bright future of Maharashtra.”
Congress President Sonia Gandhi and party leader Rahul Gandhi decided to skip the swearing-in ceremony. However, she sent congratulatory messages to the Sena leader.
Noting that the Shiv Sena, NCP and the Congress have come together under extraordinary circumstances, Sonia Gandhi, in a letter, wished Thackeray the very best in life and hoped that the new government would fulfil the hopes and expectations of the people of Maharashtra.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also sent his best wishes to Thackeray, terming his taking over as the chief minister of Maharashtra as a "historic event".
Rahul Gandhi expressed his regret for not being able to attend the swearing-in ceremony, but conveyed his best wishes to the Shiv Sena chief.
The former Congress chief also noted that the events leading up to the government formation in Maharashtra had set a "dangerous precedent for the democracy".
‘Maharashtra Will Develop as a Whole Under Uddhav’: Ajit Pawar
NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who rebelled against the party and took oath as deputy Chief Minister in the BJP government last Saturday but had to later resign, said under Uddhav’s leadership “the State will develop as a whole.”
Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also congratulated the Sena leader.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, “I hope he will work towards fulfilling the people's aspirations and take Maharashtra forward on the road to development.”
‘Look Forward to the State Having a Pro-People, Stable Govt’: Mamata
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee congratulated the newly-formed government and said that she looked forward to a “stable government that works for all round development.”
DMK Chief MK Stalin said he hoped Uddhav will work in cohesion with the opposition parties for getting greater state autonomy. Wishing the Sena chief a successful tenure as chief minister, Stalin, in a tweet, said he was happy to be in Mumbai for the Shiv Sena leader's swearing-in and called it a "momentous occasion."
In a series of tweets, he said he hoped that the new government will work closely with Tamils living in Maharashtra to ensure their safety and progress.
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