July 2nd 2023.
A dramatic political upheaval unfolded in Maharashtra on Sunday, as the leader of the opposition and Nationalist Congress Party leader, Ajit Pawar, took the oath as Deputy Chief Minister. This marked the fourth time Pawar assumed this role in Maharashtra. Governor Ramesh Bais administered the oath of office to Pawar, along with eight other leaders, including former Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, former speaker Dilip Walse-Patil, former ministers Hasan Mushrif and Dhananjay Munde, and NCP MLAs Dharmarao Baba Atram, Aditi Tatkare, Sanjay Bansode, and Anil Patil.
Speculations about this political development were rife throughout the day, as the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP held meetings at their respective leaders' residences. Eventually, it became clear that the NCP had decided to join the government, and Pawar would be sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister.
The ceremony was held at Raj Bhavan's Darbar Hall, filled with an air of excitement. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and the newly appointed Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar were present on the dais. The ceremony commenced with the national and state anthems and concluded with the national anthem.
After the ceremony, Chief Minister Shinde expressed optimism, stating that the government would now have three engines to drive progress. Deputy Chief Minister Fadnavis commended Pawar's administrative skills and believed his experience would accelerate the state's development.
Pawar has now assumed the position of Deputy Chief Minister for the third time in the last four years. He held the role in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government from November 2019 to June 2022, and even before that for a brief period in November 2019, in the Devendra Fadnavis-led government.
Widely recognised as a grassroots leader and a capable administrator, Pawar is expected to bring a new wave of progress to the state. His appointment has already gone viral, with Fadnavis' 2014 'Chakki Peesing & Peesing' remark on Ajit Pawar gaining attention again.
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