Ahead of his swearing-in as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis paid visits to prominent temples in Mumbai, seeking blessings. Fadnavis, who was elected the leader of the BJP legislative party on Wednesday, visited the Siddhivinayak Temple and the Mumbadevi Temple, two of the city’s revered religious sites, to offer prayers before his oath-taking ceremony scheduled for Thursday.
On Thursday morning, Fadnavis shared updates on social media, stating, “Took darshan and blessings of Shri Siddhivinayak before taking Oath as Maharashtra’s Chief Minister. With a heart full of faith, prayed for our beloved State’s happiness, prosperity, and progress. May Bappa guide us with strength and wisdom on this path of responsibility and dedication!” He also shared a similar message from his visit to Mumbadevi Temple, writing, “Feeling blessed to take darshan and blessings of Aai Mumbadevi. Offered my prayers at her feet for the well-being and growth of Mumbai and Maharashtra.”
Fadnavis was accompanied by party observers, former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, during his election as the BJP’s legislative party leader. Following the election, Fadnavis met Governor CP Radhakrishnan to stake his claim to form the new government, accompanied by outgoing CM Eknath Shinde and NCP leader Ajit Pawar.
The oath-taking ceremony will take place on Thursday at 5:30 PM at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan. High-profile guests, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are expected to attend. Fadnavis has confirmed that Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar will take the oath as his deputies. Some Shiv Sena leaders have urged Shinde to accept the deputy CM role, with some threatening not to accept ministries unless Shinde agrees.
In a symbolic gesture, Fadnavis was also seen feeding cows, reflecting his commitment to tradition and seeking divine blessings for his new role.
