The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will get deputy chief minister's post in the new Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government, which also includes Congress. Uddhav Thackeray will be sworn in as the chief minister November 28.
The Congress will get Assembly Speaker's post while the NCP will get deputy Speaker's post, Patel told reporters after a meeting of the Maha Vikas Aghadi of the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress in Mumbai.
He also said that along with Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, who will be sworn in as chief minister on Thursday evening, one or two members of each of the three parties will take oath as ministers.
There will be only one deputy CM's post in the government, he added.
Earlier, sources had said that both the Shiv Sena and NCP will have 15 ministerial berths each, while the Congress will get 13 berths.
Maharashtra can have a maximum of 43 ministers as the size of council of ministers cannot exceed 15 percent of the total number of MLAs, which is 288 in the state.
The Shiv Sena has 56 MLAs, NCP 54 and Congress 44.
Leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi met on Wednesday at the YB Chavan Centre in south Mumbai.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray and Congress veteran Ahmed Patel were among the leaders who held talks over council of ministers and the swearing-in ceremony, to be held at the Shivaji Park in Dadar on Thursday evening.
Congress general secretary in-charge for Maharashtra Mallikarjun Kharge joined the leaders later.
BREAKING | Newly sworn-in Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray reaches Sahyadri Guest House to chair his first cabinet meeting.
JUST IN |
State Ministers Chhagan Bhujbal andSubhash Desai arrive at Sahyadri guest house for the first cabinet meeting. (ANI)
Ajit Pawar:
Congratulations andbest wishes to the Shiv Sena Party Chief Hon. Uddhav Thackeray ji on becoming the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Under his leadership, the state will develop as a whole!
Uddhav Thackeray takes oath as Maharashtra CM
Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray took oath as the chief minister of Maharshtra. He is the eighth person to take oath as Maharashtra CMwhile not being a legislator.
The then Congress leader and current NCP chief Sharad Pawar also finds name among theseven leaders.
According to provisions of the Constitution, any leader who is not a member of the Assembly or Council has to become member of the legislature within six months of taking oath of the post.
– PTI
PM Modi:
Congratulations to Uddhav Thackeray Ji on taking oath as the CM of Maharashtra. I am confident he will work diligently for the bright future of Maharashtra.
An aerial image of Shivaji Park, where the oath-taking ceremony of Uddhav Thackeray and other cabinet ministers took place. (Image: Twitter/@Jayant_R_Patil)
The oath taking ceremony has concluded with a recital of thenational anthem.
Maharashtra Oath Ceremony LIVE:
Congress leader Nitin Rauttakes oath as minister.
Maharashtra Oath Ceremony LIVE:
Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat takes oath as a minister is Uddhav Thackeray's cabinet.
Maharashtra Oath Ceremony LIVE:
NCP leader Chaggan Bhujbaltakes oath as minister.
Maharashtra Oath Ceremony LIVE:
NCP Leader Jayant Patil takes oath as minister.
Happening Now:
Shiv Sena MLA Subhash Desai takes oath as minister in Uddhav Thackeray's cabinet.
JUST IN |
Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde takes oath as a minister.
BREAKING | Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray takes oath as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra
Update:
No member of the BJP present, except for outgoing chief minister Devendra Fadnavis present at the swearing-in ceremony.
JUST IN | Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari ready to administer the oath to Uddhav Thackeray.
Why was Shivaji Park chosen for the oath-taking ceremony?
The Thackerays have had a long association with Shivaji Park, a ground located in Mumbai's Dadar, a ten-minute walk from the Shiv Sena Bhavan, the party headquarters.
It is not surprising, therefore, that the venue chosen for Uddhav's swearing-in ceremony was Shivaji Park. It was here that Bal Thackeray, the founder and supremo of Shiv Sena, had addressed his first public rally back in 1966. Ever since the formation of the party, the Sena has been holding its annual Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park for the past five decades.
A memorial of the late Bal Thackeray is also constructed at the location and it is also the spot where the Sena supremo's funeral was held in 2012.
The political folklore in Mumbai is that if a party can fill up the Shivaji Park for its rallies, it can very well present a considerable challenge to its opposition parties.
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JUST IN | Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has arrived at Shivaji Park, Mumbai for his swearing-in ceremony.
Manmohan Singh in a letter to Uddhav Thackeray:
I am very happy to know that you are taking oath as the 19th Chief Minister of Maharashtra. It is a historic event and I commend you on your visionary leadership.(ANI)
Update:
DMK chief MK Stalin has arrived at Shivaji Park, Mumbai.
Update:
Senior Congress leadersKapil Sibal, Mallikarjun Kharge and Ahmed Patel present at Shivaji Park for Uddhav's swearing-in.
JUST IN |
MNS Chief Raj Thackeray also present at Uddhav's swearing-in ceremony, CNN News18 has reported.
'NCP to get deputy CM post; Speaker to be from Congress'
The Nationalist Congress Party will get deputy chief minister's post in the new Shiv Sena-ledMaharashtra government, NCP leader Praful Patel said.The Congress will get Assembly Speaker's post while the NCP will get deputy Speaker's post, Patel told reporters after a meeting of the the 'Maha Vikas Aghadi' of the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress.
He also said that alongwith Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, who will be sworn in as chief minister shortly, one or two members of each of the three parties will take oath as ministers. There will be only one deputy CM's post in the government, he added.
– PTI
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in a letter to Uddhav Thackeray,
said, "I am glad that the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi has come together to defeat the BJP's attempt to undermine our democracy. I am confident that the coalition will provide the people of Maharashtra a stable, secular and pro-poor government. I regret that I am unable to be present at the function (swearing-in ceremony)."
Uddhav to be 8th Maha CM to take oath while not being MLA/MLC
Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray will be the eighth person to take oath as Maharashtra chief minister while not being a legislator.
Congress leaders A R Antulay, Vasantdada Patil, Shivajirao Nilangekar-Patil, Shankarrao Chavan, Sushilkumar Shinde and Prithviraj Chavan are among the leaders who were not members of any of the state legislature Houses when they occupied the top post.
The then Congress leader and current NCP chief Sharad Pawar also finds name among these leaders.
Thackeray, 59, to be sworn in as chief minister at the Shivaji Park here on Thursday evening, will become the eighth such leader.
According to provisions of the Constitution, any leader who is not a member of the Assembly or Council has to become member of the legislature within six months of taking oath of the post.
– PTI
Jaya Bachchan
(Rajya Sabha MP from Samajwadi Party): Thackeray family and we share a deep & old relationship. My heartiest congratulations to him (Uddhav) on becoming Chief Minister. I sincerely hope he works towards the betterment of Maharashtra, provides relief to farmers and gives youth employment. (ANI)
JUST IN |
After swearing in ceremony, Uddhav Thackeray will hold first cabinet meeting at Sahyadri guest house at 8 pm, NCP's Jayant Patil tells ANI.
Congress’ Balasaheb Thorat has confirmed that he will be sworn-in as a minister todayalong with party leader Nitin Raut.
NCP’s Jayant Patil:
The first Cabinet meeting of our government will be held later today.
Maha Vikas Aghadi on Mumbai’s metro rail project
NCP’s Jayant Patil: We are committed to ensure that commuters in Mumbai are able to use the metro rail facility soon. We will not do anything that creates inconvenience for commuters in Mumbai.
Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde:
Maha Vikas Aghadi has created the common minimum programme keeping farmers at the core. So, we will address various issues faced by the farmers.
Read more: Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress release common minimum programme, promise to waive off farm loans
The Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress combine has released its common minimum programme. It has promised immediate waiver of farm loans and filling of vacant posts in the state government, among other things.
NCP’s Jayant Patil has confirmed that the new government will implement a complete farm loan waiver programme.
“But, it will not be the way the previous government implemented it,” Patil added.
Asked if the Maha Vikas Aghadi will support the Nanar refinery and the bullet train projects, Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde said, “We have taken a decision on these issues. But, please let the government be formed. We will do what has been decided.”
Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde:
Farm loan waiver was a common promise made by all three parties. We will do that.
Asked if farm loans will be waived, NCP’s Jayant Patil has said, “This is something that we promised in our manifesto. So, once the government is formed, we will take necessary steps.”
Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde:
The economy is ailing. Farmers are also facing problems. So, we will focus on needs of the common man. farmers, education andjobs.
Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde:
Will be have a stable government. We have far more number of seats than what is required for majority.
Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde:
We will ensure justice for farmers and small and medium businesses. Framers must feel confident that this government belongs to them. This programme has been created under the guidance of Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar and Sonia Gandhi.
Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde:
This government will work for the people. It will abide by every word mentioned in the Constitution. This government will treat everyone equally. We will work in a way that no one is intimidated. We will work for everyone’s development.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi’s common minimum programme focusses on farmers, jobs, women’s safety and 80 percent reservation for locals, according to reports.
Leaders of Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP are addressing the media over the coalition’s common minimum programme. Stay tuned for the latest updates.
Maharashtra Government Formation LIVE Updates |
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister has arrived in Mumbai for Uddhav Thackeray’s swearing-in ceremony.
Maharashtra Government Formation LIVE Updates |
Trivia: With Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray set to be sworn in as Maharashtra chief minister in a short while from now, NCP MP Supriya Sule turned emotional and said the Sena chief's father late Bal Thackeray and mother Meenatai Thackeray should have been around today.
Sule, daughter of NCP chief Sharad Pawar, said Bal Thackeray and his wife treated her with love and affection "more than a daughter" would get, and that she was missed them a lot.
In 2006, the then Sena chief Bal Thackeray did not field a party candidate when Pawar named Sule as the NCP's candidate for a Rajya Sabha seat.
Maharashtra government formation LIVE updates:
News agency ANI has reported that Congress leaders Balasaheb Thorat and Nitin Raut will take oath as ministers today.
Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report.
Six Cabinet members to be sworn-in today
A total of six members of the Cabinet will be sworn-in today – two from each of the three parties. This includes Jayant Patil and Chhagan Bhujbal from NCP.
In this image:
A large political poster congratulating the Maha Vikas Aghadi on forming the government and Uddhav Thackeray on become the state’s next chief minister, put up near Dadar, Mumbai. Dadar is considered a Shiv Sena bastion. (Image: Moneycontrol/Shweta Mungre)
HC refuses urgent hearing on plea against swearing-in
The Bombay High Court has refused to take up urgent hearing on a petition filed by a group of lawyers seeking a stay on the swearing-in of Uddhav Thackeray as chief minister of Maharashtra today.
The petitioners had sought an urgent hearing of their plea, saying the Shiv Sena and BJP should have stood by their pre-poll alliance and formed government.
Congress Chief Ministers Kamal Nath and Bhupesh Baghel are set to attend Uddhav Thackeray’s oath-taking ceremony.
DMK chief MK Stalin has already arrived in Mumbai, for the event. Raj Thackeray will also be attending the ceremony.
Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and Punjab CM Capt. Amarinder Singh are unlikely to attend.
Uddhav Thackeray now needs to get elected to the legislature
According to provisions of the Constitution, any chief minister who is not a member of the Assembly or Council has to become member of the legislature within six months of taking oath of the post.
This means, Uddhav Thackeray needs to get elected to either of the two Houses within the next six months.
