Maharashtra government formation: I will take oath as minister, says Chhagan Bhujbal

Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal said he will take oath as minister on Thursday evening in the new Maharashtra government of the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance.

Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray is set to be sworn in as the chief minister at a ceremony to be held at the Shivaji Park in Mumbai's Dadar area in the evening.

"NCP chief Sharad Pawar saheb has chosen two MLAs from the party to take oath as ministers and I am one of them. I will take oath as minister today evening," Bhujbal said.

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He was speaking at an event organised in Pune to mark the death anniversary of social reformer Jyotiba Phule.

Asked which portfolio he is expecting, Bhujbal said no decision has been taken on it.

"Senior leaders from the party, including Pawar saheb, will decide on the portfolio issue," he added.

Earlier, an NCP source also said that party leaders Bhujbal and Jayant Patil are expected to be sworn in as ministers.

The deputy chief minister's post may go to NCP MLA Ajit Pawar, the source said.

The Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress have come together under the front called 'Maha Vikas Aghadi' to form government in the state.

The BJP and the Sena, which fought the last month's Assembly polls in an alliance, secured a comfortable majority by winning 105 and 56 seats respectively.

The Sena, however, broke its three-decade-long ties with the BJP after the latter declined to share the chief minister's post.

The NCP and Congress won 54 and 44 seats respectively.