Maharashtra: Security tightened outside Matoshree ahead of Uddhav Thackeray’s oath-taking ceremony

Soon after the October 24 results, Shiv Sena demanded rotation of the chief minister's post and equal power-sharing in the NDA government, but that was rejected by the ally BJP. The weeks of political stalemate led to the imposition of President's rule on November 13. After much political developments, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will be sworn in as Maharashtra chief minister, because of which there is tight security outside his bungalow Matoshree. 

Mumbai: Elaborate security arrangements were seen outside Matoshree, the bungalow of Uddhav Thackeray, who is set to be sworn-in as 18th chief minister of Maharashtra today (November 28). The ceremony will take place at Shivaji Park in Mumbai at 6 30pm. 

Security was also tightened outside Silver Oak, the residence of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Shard Pawar.

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav will be the first member from the Thackeray family to become the chief minister and the third Shiv Sena leader to hold the top post after Manohar Joshi and Narayan Rane.

He will be leading a government of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, an alliance of Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Congress.

Meanwhile, hoardings welcoming the new government in Maharashtra and party flags of Shiv Sena and Congress were put up on the stretch from Dadar to Shivaji Park.

Thackeray's oath-taking follows weeks of political uncertainty and changing political equations with NCP chief Sharad Pawar's nephew Ajit supporting BJP and being sworn-in as the deputy chief minister.

This comes after BJP's Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit stepped down as chief minister and deputy chief minister respectively on Monday evening after the Supreme Court had ordered a floor test in the 288-member Assembly the following day.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his predecessor Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and about 400 farmers from various districts are among the people who are invited for the oath-taking ceremony scheduled to be held at 6:40 pm today.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel and his Madhya Pradesh counterpart Kamal Nath will also attend the swearing-in ceremony.

On Tuesday, Thackeray was unanimously elected as the leader of the tri-party alliance.

Firm on its demands, Sena, the second-largest party in the state, did not hesitate to cobble up with the ideological opponents -- NCP and Congress -- and was given the chief minister's post.