Sena to attend Fadnavis' swearing-in, after all

In a last-minute development, the Shiv Sena has called off its planned boycott of chief minister-designate Devendra Fadnavis' gala swearing-in ceremony here, a party official said here Friday afternoon.

Accordingly, the top Sena leadership, including party president Uddhav Thackeray, senior leaders, legislators and parliamentarians are expected to attend the oath-taking ceremony at Wankhede Stadium Friday.

The development followed a telephonic talk between Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah and Uddhav Thackeray a short while ago, said Sena MP Vinayak Raut.

Shah is understood to have given a sympathetic hearing to the Sena's contentions and said the BJP will take a favourable decision in the matter soon.

Earlier in the day, in the party mouthpiece 'Saamana', the Sena declared it would boycott the swearing-in ceremony of the first BJP government in the state since "the BJP has not accorded due respect and dignity" to its former ally.

Fadnavis will be sworn-in as the chief minister with a small cabinet by Governor C.V. Rao at a glittering public function to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shah, union ministers, top BJP leaders, business tycoons, filmstars, sportspersons and other celebs, besides over 30,000 guests.