(Image source from: x.com/Dev_Fadnavis)

Devendra Fadnavis, a BJP leader, will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra for the third time today. The event in Mumbai will also see Eknath Shinde, a Shiv Sena leader, and Ajit Pawar, from the NCP, as Deputy Chief Ministers in the newly formed cabinet. After intense political discussions, Fadnavis, Shinde, and Pawar officially claimed their right to form the Mahayuti government by presenting their support letters to the Maharashtra Governor. The swearing-in ceremony, scheduled for 5:30 pm, will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other prominent figures, including Chief Ministers from various NDA states. Fadnavis stated that he requested Shinde to join them in the government, as it is the wish of MahaYuti workers, and they will fulfill the promises made to the people of Maharashtra. This marks Fadnavis' return as the Chief Minister after being unanimously elected as the Leader of the Maharashtra BJP Legislative Party, following the BJP-led alliance's landslide victory in the recent Assembly elections, securing 235 out of 288 seats.

The Sena and NCP parties strengthened the alliance, winning 57 and 41 seats respectively. In contrast, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) opposition coalition faced a devastating defeat, with Congress securing only 16 seats, Shiv Sena (UBT) getting 20 seats, and the NCP faction led by Sharad Pawar winning just 10 seats. The BJP's central observer, Vijay Rupani, announced Fadnavis' unanimous election as the legislative party leader on Wednesday. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman attended the meeting and described the Mahayuti alliance as a "double engine government" poised to drive Maharashtra's development. Eknath Shinde, the outgoing Chief Minister, expressed satisfaction with the Mahayuti government's achievements over the past two-and-a-half years, stating that their work would be remembered in history. Azad Maidan in Mumbai has been transformed into a heavily secured area for the event.

Cleanup teams have been sent to guarantee the safety of the event participants. 280 personnel from the traffic department are handling the traffic in South Mumbai. The ceremony is anticipated to have an audience of 42,000, with seating for 2,000 VIPs, including religious and political figures.