Uddhav's Maha Sarkar

New Delhi: A month-long political drama finally concluded on Thursday as Shiv Sena President Uddhav B Thackeray was sworn in as the19th Chief Minister of Maharashtra at a grand function in Shivaji Park here. Thackeray, 59, became the third Sena leader after Manohar Joshi and Narayan Rane to occupy the top post but is the first from the Thackeray clan to occupy the chief minister post.

Thackeray took over as chief minister more than a month after the results of the Assembly polls were declared on October 24.

Eknath Shinde, Subhash Desai (both Shiv Sena), Jayant Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal (both NCP), Balasaheb Thorat and Nitin Raut (both Congress) were sworn in as ministers alongside Thackery.

Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari administered the oath of office and secrecy to Uddhav Thackery at 6.40 pm with the Sena chief sporting a striking saffron-colored kurta-pajama, his party's colour.

Among those present at his oath-taking ceremony were DMK Chief MK Stalin, Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath, Congress' Ahmed Patel, Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and MNS chief Raj Thackeray. Senior Congress leaders Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi, however, chose to skip the event.

Former Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, his cousin and MP Supriya Sule, Uddhav Thackeray's wife Rashmi, their MLA-son Aaditya and industrialist Mukesh Ambani's wife Nita were also among those who attended the ceremony. The Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress formed the government after the Thackeray-led party fell out with its pre-poll ally BJP over sharing the chief ministerial post.

The BJP emerged as the single largest party winning 105 seats and the Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress won 56, 54 and 44 seats respectively in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly.

Thursday's swearing-in ceremony followed days of dramatic political developments, which included a three-day government formed with unexpected support from NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who has since returned to the Sharad Pawar-led party fold. There was speculation that Ajit Pawar would be sworn in as deputy chief minister on Thursday but only two NCP ministers took oath at the ceremony. An ace photographer, the otherwise affable and mild-mannered politician, Uddhav displayed the combative traits of his father in dealing with the BJP on the demand for a rotational chief ministership just after the poll results were announced.

In rallies, Uddhav had repeatedly voiced his resolve to fulfill the dream of his father to make a Shiv Sainik the chief minister and ended up donning the mantle himself.

Hours before the swearing-in ceremony, the Shiv Sena- NCP-Congress alliance said the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the state would waive farmers' loans and ensure 80 per cent quota in jobs to the local youth.

NCP leaders Jayant Patil and Nawab Malik and Sena leader Eknath Shinde announced details of the alliance's Common Minimum Programme (CMP). Sena's most discussed promise during the Assembly poll campaign — a full meal at Rs 10 — also figures in the CMP.

A law will be enacted to ensure 80 per cent job quota for locals/domicile youth, it said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Uddhav on taking oath as the next CM of Maharashtra, tweeting: "I am confident he will work diligently for the bright future of Maharashtra". Governor

B K Koshyari has asked Thackeray to prove majority by December 3.