Maha: BJP will provide strong govt, says Fadnavis

Back at the helm as Maharashtra chief minister following a dramatic turn of events, Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said the BJP will provide a strong government which will work for farmers.

Thanking BJP workers after taking oath as the CM early morning, Fadnavis said, "Modi hai to mumkin hai (Everything possible under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi)".

In a surprise development, the BJP turned the tables on the prospective Congress-NCP-Shiv Sena alliance by taking oath as the CM, after NCP's Ajit Pawar staged an early morning coup and joined hands with the BJP.

Ajit, the nephew of NCP chief Sharad Pawar, took oath as deputy chief minister.

Fadnavis thanked Ajit, MLAs, and Independent legislators for their support.

"It is true that some friends are not with us anymore," he said apparently referring to the Shiv Sena, which fell out with the BJP after assembly poll results over its demand for rotational chief ministership.

"Our commitment is to provide a strong government for the next five years. Our commitment is to the people of the state," Fadnavis said.

He thanked PM Modi, Union Home Minister and BJP chief Amit Shah and acting BJP president J P Nadda.

Ajit's coup came two days after Sharad Pawar said a consensus had emerged between his party and the Congress on Uddhav Thackeray as the next chief minister of the state.