Today Shiv Sena rebel Eknath Shinde took oath as Maharashtra Chief Minister and Devendra Fadnavis his deputy, as the BJP capped the coup that unseated Uddhav Thackeray a day ago with back-to-back curveballs.
“I will stay out of the government and ensure it runs smoothly,” Mr Fadnavis said at a news briefing around 4:30 pm, announcing that only Mr Shinde will be sworn in later in the evening.
Eknath Shinde thanked PM Modi, Mr Fadnavis and other BJP leaders. “It’s their magnanimity. They had a bigger mandate, yet they made me the Chief Minister. Who does that?” he said.
