In a show of strength on the part of the Mahayuti, where the Bharatiya Janata Party’s impression could be felt strongly, Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as Maharashtra’s 21st chief minister at the city’s iconic Azad Maidan on Thursday. Former CM Eknath Shinde, who agreed to be part of the government not very long before the oath-taking ceremony, was inducted as the DyCM as a representative of the Shiv Sena. Ajit Pawar, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief, also took oath as DyCM. No ministers other than the ‘big three’ were inducted as the power-sharing formula is still being worked out by the allies.

The swearing-in was held 12 days after Mahayuti’s landslide victory, which reduced the Opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi to under 50 in the Lower House of 288 members.