The Cabinet Ministers sworn in as part of the first-ever BJP government in Maharashtra on Friday include Eknath Khadse, who was an aspirant for the Chief Minister’s chair, Vinod Tawde from the Maratha community, the late Gopinath Munde’s daughter Pankaja, and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari’s loyalist Sudhir Mungantiwar. MLC Chandrakant Patil, tribal leader Vishnu Savra and and Prakash Mehta from the Gujarati community were also sworn in as Cabinet Ministers.
Scheduled Caste leader Dilip Kamble and Vidya Thakur from the North Indian community were sworn in as Ministers of State.
The mega event drew criticism from the Opposition for its extravagance. The stage was designed by renowned art-director Nitin Desai. Massive portraits of BJP and RSS leaders flanked the stadium. The ceremony was beamed on LED screens and giant cut-outs of the party’s lotus symbol were floated in the sea-front opposite the stadium.
The ceremony was attended by Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled States, senior party leaders including L.K. Advani and several Union Ministers including Nitin Gadkari who too had made a bid for the CM’s post. Members of the Sangh Parivar and several religious leaders were also present. Industrialists including Godrej Industries chairman Adi Godrej and Reliance Group chairman Anil Ambani attended the function.
(With inputs from Alok Deshpande and Omar Rashid)
