Former Maharashtra unit president of the NCP Bhaskar Jadhav was on Thursday sworn in as a Minister in the Prithviraj Chavan Cabinet.
Governor K. Sankaranarayanan administered the oath of office to Mr. Jadhav, who replaces Water Resources Minister Sunil Tatkare who has quit after being appointed the chief of the State NCP unit.
Mr. Jadhav is a former State Minister, who was dropped a year ago and >named State NCP chief in June 2013.
Both Mr. Jadhav and Mr. Tatkare hail from the Konkan region.
At the recent working committee meeting of the party, Mr. Jadhav had proposed Mr. Tatkare’s name for the post of State unit chief.
The appointment of Mr. Tatkare, a prominent OBC leader, as the party’s State unit chief is significant ahead of the Assembly elections.