Maharashtra, June 30 (UNI) Former Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
Fadnavis was administered the oath of office and secrecy by state Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at a ceremony at Raj Bhavan here.
The latest development comes after BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda spoke to Fadnavis and asked him to be the Deputy CM of the state, after the latter announced that that he will not be a part of the new government, led by rebel Shiv Sena MLA Eknath Shinde.
"On the request of BJP president JP Nadda ji, Devendra Fadnavis ji has shown a big heart and decided to join the government in the interest of the state and public," Union Home Minister Amit Shah wrote in a tweet in Hindi.
Lauding Fadnavis, Shah said this decision of Fadnavis is a sign of his true loyalty and service towards Maharashtra.
Earlier in the day, Fadnavis, while addressing a joint press conference along with Shinde, announced the name of latter as the next CM of Maharashtra and also said that he will not hold any position.
BJP national president JP Nadda, in a series of tweets in Hindi, said "I congratulate Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis. This has been proven now that BJP was never hungry for the Chief Minister's post. In 2019 elections, (Prime Minister) Narendra Modiji and Devendraji got a clear mandate. However, Uddhav Thackeray, in the greed of Chief Ministership, left us and formed the government with the opposition.
"BJP decided to support Eknath Shinde ji, for the betterment of people of Maharashtra. Fadnavis ji has also decided to join the Cabinet with a big heart, which shows his attachment to the people of Maharashtra. The party has once again proved by taking this decision that we don't run after plum posts, but our ultimate goal is to serve the country and the people of Maharashtra under the leadership of Narendra Modi ji," he added.
UNI DS RJ