'Pawar will have to step in to resolve row over berths'

MUMBAI: Fifty-three years after the Shiv Sena was founded, a Thackeray was sworn in as Maharashtra's CM on Thursday. Sena founder Bal Thackeray's son Uddhav assumed the top post as head of the newly minted Maha Vikas Aghadi of Sena, NCP and Congress at 6.40pm on Thursday at a grand ceremony at Shivaji Park , a location redolent with symbolism for Sena. It was here that the party held its first rally and where its first CM was sworn in more than two decades ago; Bal Thackeray was also cremated on this very ground.Six others from the Aghadi - two from each of the parties - were sworn in as ministers. From the Sena, close Uddhav aide Subhash Desai was sworn in along with Thane strongman Eknath Shinde. Both were ministers in the former BJP-led government. From NCP, state president Jayant Patil, who played a key role in quelling Ajit Pawar's revolt, took oath, as did the tainted Chhagan Bhujbal, who had been jailed on graft charges.From Congress, state party chief Balasaheb Thorat and Vidarbha leader Nitin Raut, who belongs to the Dalit community, took oath.NCP's Ajit Pawar, who just days ago had rebelled against the party, did not take oath .A Congress leader said each of the three parties had made a claim to the home, urban development, revenue, housing and cooperation ministries, and NCP chief Sharad Pawar would have to "step in" to resolve differences.Amid slogans of "Shiv Sene-cha wagh ala" (The Shiv Sena's tiger has arrived), Uddhav stood to take oath clad in a saffron kurta, with a red tilak on his forehead. "I take this oath after offering respects to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and in the memory of my parents Balasaheb and Meenatai Thackeray," he said. After his oath, Uddhav touched his forehead to the floor, as though to salute the crowd, in a gesture reminiscent of his father.Although Thackeray had extended an invitation to PM Narendra Modi , he skipped the function against the backdrop of the bitter split between BJP and Sena over the CM's post. However, former CM Devendra Fadnavis was present along with BJP leader Chandrakant Patil. Congress chief Sonia Gandhi stayed away.However, a battery of senior Congress leaders were present , including Mallikarjun Kharge, Kapil Sibal, Ahmed Patel, Abhishek Singhvi and Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath. From NCP, party chief Sharad Pawar was present with daughter Supriya Sule and party leader Praful Patel.Just before the event, industrialist Mukesh Ambani arrived with wife Nita and son Anant. Uddhav's estranged cousin Raj Thackeray, who heads the rival Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, was also on stage. A large number of farmers had been invited to the event and sat in the audience. Significantly, Ajit Pawar entered the event with Supriya Sule, a signal of his rehabilitation in NCP.