Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray greets his supporters after swearing-in as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, at Shivaji Park in Mumbai. (Image: PTI)
Thackeray and six other ministers – two each from the Sena, the Congress and the NCP – took oath a day earlier with the new CM presiding over his government first cabinet meeting. The Shiv Sena chief may have become the CM but he is unlikely to move to Varsha – the chief minister’s official residence at Malabar Hill, a media report stated. The report said that Matoshree, the five decades-old residence of the Thackeray family, will control Maharashtra’s affairs. However, the CM will head all key meetings at Varsha and his office will be on the sixth floor of Mantralaya.
A two-day sitting of the Assembly will begin Saturday. The trust vote will be taken up on day one, preceded by the introduction of the new ministers in the House. On Sunday, the Assembly Speaker’s election will be held, followed by tabling of motion of thanks on the governor’s address in the House. The new Speaker will then announce the name of the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly. Governor BS Koshyari has asked Thackeray to prove majority by December 3. The ruling combine has claimed support of 162 MLAs in the 288 – member Assembly.
The Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress formed the government after the Thackeray-led party fell out with pre-poll ally BJP over sharing the chief ministerial post. The BJP emerged as the single largest party winning 105 seats. The Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress won 56, 54 and 44 seats respectively in the October 21 Polls.
NCP MLA Dilip Walse Patil was on Friday appointed as pro tem speaker of the Assembly. He replaces BJP MLA Kalidas Kolambkar who was earlier this week appointed to the post. Walse Patil is a former speaker of the Assembly.
Thackeray, who is also the Shiv Sena president, was sworn-in as the chief minister on Thursday evening and hours later, presided over his government first cabinet meeting. Besides Thackeray, six other ministers – two each from the Sena, the Congress and the NCP – also took oath.
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