Fadnavis, Shinde, and Pawar will take their oaths on Thursday at 5 pm at Azad Maidan in Mumbai

BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis is set to take office as Maharashtra's Chief Minister for a third term after the party reached a consensus during a crucial meeting on Wednesday, ending days of speculation following the Mahayuti alliance's victory in the state assembly elections. Eknath Shinde, leader of Shiv Sena, is expected to be appointed Deputy Chief Minister, with NCP's Ajit Pawar also taking a prominent role in the new government.

Fadnavis, Shinde, and Pawar will take their oaths on Thursday at 5 pm at Azad Maidan in Mumbai, according to BJP Maharashtra President Chandrashekhar Bawankule. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to attend the swearing-in ceremony.

Following his nomination as Chief Minister, Fadnavis addressed a party gathering, reiterating Prime Minister Modi's "ek hai, safe hai" slogan, signaling the unity of the Mahayuti coalition. The announcement comes nearly two weeks after the Mahayuti alliance secured a decisive victory, winning 230 out of 288 seats in the Assembly elections. However, the coalition had struggled to finalize the structure of the new government, with Shinde initially insisting on retaining the Chief Minister’s position.

The deadlock began to break when Shinde publicly stated that he would not be a "hurdle" to government formation and would respect the decision of Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

Fadnavis, who played a crucial role in leading the BJP to its largest-ever win in Maharashtra, winning 132 out of the 149 seats the party contested, has strong backing from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for the top post. His return to the position of Chief Minister marks a significant political comeback for Fadnavis, who has been the BJP's most prominent leader in Mumbai in recent years.

This development signals a significant shift in Maharashtra's political landscape, with Fadnavis at the helm of the state’s governance once again.