BJP has formed the government this morning with Devendra Fadnavis returning as Chief Minister in Maharashtra. Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr Fadnavis as the Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar as the deputy Chief Minister in a ceremony at the Raj Bhavan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and other senior leaders have congratulated Mr Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar.

The BJP has asserted that it had the electoral and moral mandate to form the government in Maharashtra. Briefing reporters in New Delhi today senior party leader and Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said BJP won the popular mandate to form the government led by Devendra Fadnavis. He said the governor had no counter-claim by any other party or alliance.

Congress, on the other hand, described the new government in Maharashtra as illegitimate.