Maharashtra gets its first BJP government

The BJP is set to get its first government in Maharashtra headed by Chief Minister-elect Devendra Fadnavis.

Fadnavis is likely to be sworn in at a public ceremony at the Wankhede Stadium to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and over 30,000 guests from around the country.

Hailing from Nagpur, Fadnavis, 44, has strong Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) connections.

This will be for only the second time in the state's 62-year-old history that a non-Congress government will assume office.

The Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ran a coalition government headed by Manohar Joshi and later Narayan Rane, both from the Sena, in 1995-99.

Formerly known as Bombay State, Maharashtra was carved out as a separate entity May 1, 1960.

The first chief minister of the erstwhile Bombay State was B.G. Kher, who ruled from Aug 15, 1947 to April 21, 1952.

He was succeeded by Morarji Desai, who became the first elected chief minister (April 21, 1952 to Oct 31, 1956). Desai went on to be the prime minister in 1977-78.

Another political veteran, Y.B. Chavan, ruled the state thrice.