Mumbai (Maharashtra): After a tumultuous month long working out of permutations and combinations, Shiv Sena boss Uddhav Thackeray, took over the reins of the progressive state and was sworn in as Chief Minister this evening in a colourful ceremony watched by hundreds of supporters from the three parties comprising the coalition in the picturesque Shivaji Park, a landmark which had seen his father Balasaheb Thackeray hold forth on Marathi 'manoos'. With the swearing-in of 59-year-old Thackeray, the state now has a chief minister from the Sena after 20 years.


Governor B.S. Koshyari administered the oath of office and secrecy to Uddhav Thackeray, 59, who sported a striking saffron coloured kurta-pyjama, the Sena party's colour.


Uddhav's oath taking drew loud cheer from the thousands of Shiv Sainiks even as fireworks shot into the sky.

Shiv Sena leaders Eknath Shinde, Shubhash Desai were the first ones who took oath as ministers. NCP's Jayant Patil and Chhagan Chandrakant Bhujbal were sworn-in next. Maharashtra Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat and Nitin Raut were the last to take oath as ministers in the Uddhav Cabinet.

Speaking to ABP Majha, Uddhav's son Aaditya said, "I can't express the joy looking at the sight here. Maharashtra's dream will be fulfilled now".


Senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who shocked his party and family after joining hands with the BJP last week, was also present at the ceremony. There are strong speculations he might be given the Deputy CM post.

Among the prominent dignitaries present on the occasion were more than 500 farmers and farm widows from all over Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackery's cousin and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray, industrialist Mukesh Ambani, his wife Nita Ambani and their family members.


Also present were at least three Chief Ministers from other states and six former Maharashtra Chief Ministers, including Sharad Pawar, Sushilkumar Shinde, Manohar Joshi, Prithviraj Chavan, Ashok Chavan and Devendra Fadnavis.

Other prominent personalities from all the three parties included Abhishek M. Singhvi, Rajiv Shukla, Praful Patel, Kishore Tiwari, Supriya Sule-Pawar, Sanjay Raut, Arvind Sawant, Rohit Pawar, and Rashmi Thackeray and Aditya Thackeray, the wife and son of Uddhav Thackeray and his estranged cousin Raj Thackeray.

After the swearing-in function, Uddhav Thackeray headed to Sahyadri guest house to chair the new government's first cabinet meeting.

 (NCP leaders Chhagan Bhujbal, Praful Patel and Ajit Pawar at the swearing-in function. PIC/ANI)

Under the baton of veteran Bollywood art director Nitin Desai, an army of around 1,000 workmen and designers had worked assiduously since Wednesday evening to ensure the 'Shivrajyabhishek' set in colourful splendour was completed on time. The massive stage measuring around 8,000 sq. feet had seating capacity of around 300.

Reports say the government and Shiv Sena had ordered over 40,000 chairs to accommodate the invited guests close to the stage, and the remaining expected over 3,00,000 activists of the Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and Congress shall cover the rest of the ground at the historic Shivaji Park, Dadar west.


Since Wednesday, Shivaji Park itself has been given a mega-facelift with touch-ups to the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji, the BalThackeray memorial, a bust of Uddhav Thackeray's mother, Meenatai Thackeray, sweeping of the ground and disposing off any wastes in and outside the 28-acre ground, erection of flood-lights, and laying of a massive red carpet where the guests would be seated.

The Mumbai Police had implemented massive traffic restrictions in view of the anticipated heavy VVIP movements for the swearing-in ceremony.

Among the dignitaries invited include Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi, leaders of all national parties, Uddhav's estranged cousin & MNS chief Raj Thackeray, Chief Ministers of many opposition states, members of the judiciary, civil, police and defence officials, diplomatic corps stationed in Mumbai, films and sports personalities, industrialist Mukesh Ambani & his wife Neeta, celebs and more than 500 farmers and farm widows, witnessed the oath ceremony.



The sprawling Shivaji Park is where Uddhav’s father and Sena founder Bal Thackeray addressed his famous Dussehra rallies.The last Sena man to occupy the chief minister's chair was Narayan Rane in 1999, after Manohar Joshi, who in 1995 became the first CM from the party.

The swearing-in ceremony follows days of dramatic political developments, which included a three-day government formed by an unexpected support from NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who has since returned to the Sharad Pawar-led party fold.

The Sena, along with the NCP and Congress constituted the 'Maha Vikas Aghadi' to form a non-BJP government in the state.

The first cabinet meeting of the Uddhav-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government will be held at 8pm in Mumbai.

(With additional information from Agencies)