Latur: BJP workers celebrate after Devendra Fadnavis becomes CM for second term

BJP workers here celebrated the return of Devendra Fadnavis as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra for a second term by bursting firecrackers, shortly after the leader was sworn-in to his post by Governor BS Koshyari on Saturday morning.

The celebrations took place despite the high octane political drama unfolding in the state, especially after NCP chief Sharad Pawar denied the party's support to the BJP, terming the move as newly sworn-in Maharasthra deputy CM and NCP leader Ajit Pawar's "personal decision".

In a surprising turn of events, while Fadnavis was sworn-in as the CM on Saturday morning, Ajit became the Deputy CM after he "decided to form a stable government" with the BJP in the state.

"Shiv Sena disobeyed the mandate given by the people. They betrayed the public and us. We are very happy that Fadnavis has become the CM," a BJP worker said.

While the BJP bagged 105 seats in the recently culminated Assembly polls, the NCP had emerged as the third-largest party as far as the vote-share was concerned, winning 54 seats.

Saturday morning's developments came at a time when deliberations between Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena seemingly reached the final stage on Friday.

Earlier, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar had claimed that there was a consensus on Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray as chief minister of the alliance government.

Previously, the BJP, which emerged as the single largest party, could not stake claim to form a government as its ally Shiv Sena remained firm on rotating the Chief Minister's post and equal sharing of Cabinet berths.

Shiv Sena parted its ways with BJP to explore ways to form a government. It, however, failed to prove the support of the required number of MLAs in the time given by state Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.

The Governor had then invited NCP, which fought the polls in alliance with the Congress, to prove its ability to form the government failing which President's Rule was imposed in the state.