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The invite, issued by Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik, refers to him as “Devendra Sarita Gangadharrao Fadnavis,” incorporating his mother Sarita’s name
Devendra Fadnavis with his mother, Sarita Fadnavis. (PTI file photo)
BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, who is set to take the oath as Maharashtra’s chief minister for the third time on Thursday, has drawn attention with a unique detail on the official invitation card for his swearing-in ceremony – the inclusion of his mother’s name as his middle name.
The invite, issued by Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik, refers to him as “Devendra Sarita Gangadharrao Fadnavis,” incorporating his mother Sarita’s name. This marks the first time he has used his mother’s name in his career.
This new addition is being seen as a personal tribute to Sarita Fadnavis, who has been a strong supporter of her son’s political journey. Although she generally prefers to stay out of the spotlight, Sarita expressed pride in her son’s achievements after the BJP’s success in the state elections.
“Everyone in the party wants him to be chief minister again. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi regards him as a son,” she had said.
Traditionally, Maharashtra residents use their father’s name as their middle name, making this change stand out. In his previous swearing-in ceremonies in 2014 and 2019, as well as in his recent election affidavit, Fadnavis used “Gangadhar” as his middle name, after his late father Gangadhar Fadnavis, a Jan Sangh and BJP leader, as per The Times Of India report.
The swearing-in ceremony will take place at Azad Maidan in Mumbai on December 5, with final preparations underway. Invitations have been extended to a host of political figures and dignitaries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, nearly 2,000 VVIPs, and around 40,000 supporters.
The BJP, which won 132 of the state’s 288 seats, announced Fadnavis as its legislative party leader on December 4, ending days of intense negotiations over the formation of the new government.
The BJP’s alliance with the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction)—known as Mahayuti—secured a strong mandate in the November 23 assembly elections, though power-sharing talks delayed the official announcement of Fadnavis as the chief minister.
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Maharashtra, India
