Chavan, Pawar to be sworn in today

MUMBAI: Former Union Minister Prithviraj Chavan and NCP leader Ajit Pawar would be sworn in as chief minister and deputy chief minister of Maharashtra respectively today.

The swearing-in ceremony will be held at Raj Bhawan at 1630 hours, official sources said, adding Governor K Sankaranarayanan will administer the oath of office and secrecy.

Ahead of the ceremony, NCP chief Sharad Pawar held discussions with nephew Ajit Pawar on composition of NCP ministry list.

Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who would be replaced by Ajit Pawar, would continue to be in the Cong-NCP government in the state, party sources said.

Chavan will succeed Ashok Chavan, who resigned on Tuesday after Congress chief Sonia Gandhi directed him to do so in the wake of revelations that his close relatives owned flats in the controversial Adarsh Housing Society in Colaba in Mumbai.