Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi have decided to give Uddhav Thackeray’s swearing-in as Maharashtra Chief Minister. The two leaders, in separate letters to the CM-designate, however, wished him the very best but refused to cite any reason for their absence. Sonia hoped that the new government will fulfill the aspirations of the common people in the state.

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In her letter to Thackeray, the Congress president said, “The Shiv Sena, NCP, and the Congress have come together under quite extraordinary circumstances, at a time when the country faces unprecedented threats from BJP. The political atmosphere has become poisonous and the economy has collapsed, farmers are facing great distress.” She further added that the people of Maharashtra expect that the newly formed alliance will provide cohesive, purposeful, responsible, responsive and transparent administration.

Meanwhile, former president Rahul Gandhi extended his best wishes and congratulated Thackeray for his new innings. “I am glad that Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi has come together to defeat the BJP’s attempt to undermine our democracy. The people of Maharashtra have high expectations from the coalition and I am confident it will provide them a stable, secular and pro-poor government,” said the Wayanad MP.

Leaders cutting across political lines, celebrities, businessmen and industrialists have been invited for the oath-taking ceremony. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, TDP’s Chandrababu Naidu, SP’s Mulayam Singh Yadav, BSP’s Mayawati, DMK leader MK Stalin and others have been invited to attend the grand event.

Thackeray will take oath as 19th Chief Minister of Maharashtra shortly at Shivaji Park in Dadar in central Mumbai. Elaborate security arrangements have been made to avoid any untoward incident. Over 75,000 people are expected to attend the grand ceremony.