Eknath Shinde takes oath as next Chief Minister of Maharashtra

Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde on Thursday took oath as the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra. The development came as the biggest surprise element out of this political crisis when everyone was hoping that Devendra Fadnavis will be sworn in as CM.

Addressing a press conference after meeting Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and staking claim to form government, Devendra Fadnavis along with Eknath Shinde addressed media where he revealed the biggest surprise saying Eknath Shinde will be the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

Eknath Shinde-faction MLAs, staying at a hotel in Goa, celebrated after Shinde's was announced as the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

Speaking at a presser earlier, Shinde said, "A total of 50 MLAs are with us,



including 40 MLAs from Shiv Sena...We have fought this battle so far with their help...I will not let even a scratch mar the trust that these 50 people have placed in me - let alone break that trust."

"We went to former CM Thackeray with our constituency's grievances & development work along with advising him on need for improvement as we started realizing that it would be difficult for us to win the next elections. We demanded for a natural alliance with BJP," CM-designate Shinde said.

Shinde thanked Fadnavis saying, "BJP has 120 MLAs but despite that Devendra Fadnavis didn't take the post of CM. I express my gratitude to him along with PM Modi, Amit Shah & other BJP leaders that they showed generosity and made Balasaheb's Sainik (party-worker) the CM of the state."