Celebrations erupted across Maharashtra after rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde was named the new chief minister of the state. He took oath as the chief minister at Raj Bhavan on Thursday. BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis has also joined the government as the deputy CM.
In videos doing rounds on the internet, the Shinde supporters can be seen rejoicing on their leader’s elevation to the top post. In a video shared by news agency ANI, the MLAs belonging to the Shinde faction – currently in a hotel in Goa’s Panaji – dancing in joy as the Fadnavis-Shinde joint press conference was being broadcast on a large television screen. In the video, two MLAs eventually climbed to the top of the table, celebrating the naming of Eknath Shinde as the CM.
In yet another video, a group of supporters, some carrying orange umbrellas were seen sloganeering in support of the rebel leader. ‘Shinde tum aage bado, hum tumhare sath hai,’ (Shinde you move ahead, we are with you) slogans can be heard amid sloganeering outside Vidhan Bhavan.
The supporters of Shinde faction also gathered outside his residence and exchanged sweets.
Shinde – who was the urban development minister in the Uddhav Thackeray led MVA government – lauded Fadnavis for giving up the opportunity to become CM, saying the BJP leader showed “large-heartedness” in making “Balasaheb Thackeray’s Shiv Sainik” the next CM. “I will not betray the faith Fadnavis has placed in me,” Shinde told the media.
Later, he took to Twitter to extend his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP party president JP Nadda along with ‘his friend and colleague’ Fadnavis.
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