Mumbai, India

After almost two weeks of suspense over Maharashtra chief minister's face, Bharatiya Janata Party’s Devendra Fadnavis will finally be taking oath today (Dec 5) to become the top leader of India’s richest state. BJP allies of the Mahayuti bloc, Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde and NCP's Ajit Pawar, will also take up the role of deputy chief ministers in the new cabinet. Soon after Mahayuti’s landslide victory in the Nov 20 elections, the Shinde camp staked claim to the CM throne but eventually, the top seat went to the BJP stalwart.

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The oath-taking ceremony will take place in Mumbai’s Azad Maidan at 5 pm IST local time. Senior BJP politicians, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and chief ministers from several states ruled by BJP and its NDA alliance are expected to attend the event.

Fadnavis’s third stint as CM

This will be Fadnavis’s third stint as chief minister, having occupied the seat earlier from 2014 to 2019. His second stint however lasted for just five days from Nov 23 to Nov 28, 2019 as Shiv Sena party withdrew its support from the alliance with BJP and instead formed the government by joining hands with the rival bloc.

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Fadnavis will be sworn in today as the 18th chief minister of the state, whereas Shinde and Pawar will take oath as the state’s deputy chief ministers.

Watch: India: Devendra Fadnavis To Return As Maharashtra Chief Minister

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According to BJP leader Prasad Lad, the ceremony is expected to see gathering of more than 42,000 people. "PM Modi, nine to ten Union Ministers, and 19 Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers will attend the ceremony," he said. Special arrangements have been made to accommodate arrival of more than 2,000 VVIPs at the site.

Mumbai police have also implemented special measures in view of the grand event. Joint Police Commissioner Satya Narayan Choudhary told reporters that they have implemented a comprehensive deployment plan involving 5 additional commissioners, 15 DCPs, around 700 officers, and more than 4,000 security personnel.

(With inputs from agencies)