Maharashtra Cabinet expansion: Ajit Pawar sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister

NCP leader Ajit Pawar was sworn in as deputy chief minister of Maharashtra on Monday during the expansion of the Uddhav Thackeray-led council of ministers.

Pawar was sworn into the post for the second time in just over a month.

This is for the fourth time that the 60-year-old Ajit Pawar – nephew of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar - has become the Deputy Chief Minister – the first being in November 2010, then October 2012, later in November 2019 for barely 80 hours, and again on Monday.

Besides Pawar, former Maharashtra chief minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan also took oath as Cabinet minister in the Thackeray-led government on Monday.

NCP leader and former Assembly speaker Dilip Walse Patil, former leader of opposition in the Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde and former LoP in Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar were also sworn in.

Governor B S Koshyari administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers in the Vidhan Bhavan (state legislature) complex.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar were among those present at the swearing-in ceremony.

The only other leader to hold the post more than once is his senior NCP colleague - Chhagan Bhujbal in October 1999 and December 2008.

All others – Nasikrao Tirpude, Sundarrao Solanke, Ramrao Adik, Gopinath Munde, R.R. Patil (all deceased) and Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil – have occupied the post only once.