PM Narendra Modi congratulates Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar after the two took oath as the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra respectively.

MUMBAI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated BJP's Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar of the NCP minutes after the two took oath as the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra respectively.

"I am confident they will work diligently for the bright future of Maharashtra," PM Modi said on Twitter.PM Modi congratulates Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar.

In a big twist, Fadnavis took oath as Maharashtra Chief Minister for the second consecutive term while NCP`s Ajit Pawar took oath as his deputy of the state.

The move came at a time when deliberations between Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena had seemingly reached the final stage on Friday.

Earlier, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar had claimed that there was a consensus on Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray taking up the post of chief minister of the alliance government.

The BJP, which emerged as the single largest party, could not stake claim to form a government as its ally Shiv Sena remained firm on rotating the Chief Minister`s post and equal sharing of Cabinet berths.

Shiv Sena parted its ways with BJP to explore ways to form a government.

It, however, failed to prove the support of the required number of MLAs in the time given by state Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.

The Governor had then invited NCP, the third-largest party, to prove its ability to form the government failing which President`s Rule was imposed in the state.The BJP won 105 seats in the 288-member assembly followed by Shiv Sena 56, NCP 54 and Congress 44.