CM Fadnavis and Deputy CMs Shinde, Pawar Sworn in as MLAs on Opening Day of Maharashtra Assembly Special Session
Mumbai (Maharashtra), December 7: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar took oath as members of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly during a special session held on Saturday.
Earlier in the day, the trio paid tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at the Vidhan Bhavan complex in Mumbai, marking the commencement of the Assembly’s three-day special session. Shiv Sena UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray, along with party workers, also paid homage to the Maratha warrior at the same venue.
As the oath ceremony progressed, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Sunil Tatkare remarked on the public’s overwhelming support for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, stating, “With the amount of love the public has given to the Mahayuti alliance, we will work for the development of Maharashtra.”
Addressing the recent decision by the IT Appellate Tribunal in favor of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, Tatkare added, “Let the opposition say whatever they want to say. This is a judicial decision.”
Deputy CM Ajit Pawar also spoke to the media, emphasizing the alliance’s commitment to the ideologies of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Dr. BR Ambedkar. “The voters of Maharashtra have given us a lot of support, and I express my gratitude to them,” he said.
Assembly Speaker Election Scheduled for December 9
The election for the new Maharashtra Assembly Speaker is set to be held on Monday, December 9. The special session, which aims to establish the legislative agenda for the newly elected Assembly, began under the leadership of pro-tem Speaker Kalidas Sulochana Kolambkar, who was sworn in by Governor CP Radhakrishnan on Friday.
Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant highlighted the importance of the oath-taking ceremony for 288 MLAs and the Speaker’s election. He also mentioned that decisions on cabinet expansion and departmental allocations would be finalized by CM Fadnavis and the Deputy CMs.
“Our leader is Eknath Shinde, and we have given him the authority to take all political decisions. All our MLAs will agree with whatever decision he takes,” Samant said.
Mahayuti Alliance Secures Landslide Victory in Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024
The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance achieved a decisive victory in the Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024, securing 235 of the 288 seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party emerged as the single-largest party with 132 seats, followed by the Shiv Sena with 57 and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) with 41.
In contrast, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance suffered a significant setback. Congress managed to win only 16 seats, while its allies, Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), secured 20 and 10 seats, respectively.
The three-day session is expected to set the tone for the legislative priorities of the new government as it focuses on delivering development and progress for the state.
