Sushilkumar Sambhaji Shinde was sworn in as chief minister of Maharashtra at a simple function at the Raj Bhawan in Mumbai on Saturday.

Governor Mohammed Fazal administered the oath of office and secrecy to Shinde at 1618 IST, who was the only Congress politician to be sworn in at the function.

Chhagan Bhujbal of the Nationalist Congress Party, the second biggest constituent of the Democratic Front alliance, is expected to retain his position as deputy chief minister.

Five Cabinet ministers were also sworn-in. They are Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil, Dr Padamsinh Patil, Madhukar Pichad [all NCP], Dashrath Bhande from Bharipa Bhahujan Mahasangh and Harshavardhan Patil [Independent].

Sulekha Kumbhare [RPI-Gavai], Dada Jadhavrao [JD-S], Dharmarao Baba Atram [Gondwana Gantantra Party], Ramdas Bodkhe [Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh], Sanjay Deshmukh, Shivaji ardile, Ajit Ghorpade, Vinayakrao Jadhav and Digambar Bagal [Independents] took oath as Ministers of State.

Former president K R Narayanan, All India Congress Committee observer Vyalar Ravi, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Govindrao Adik and Congress leader Murli Deora were among those who attended the ceremony.