NCP leader sworn-in as minister in Maharashtra

Mumbai, May 29: Nationalist Congress Party (

) leader Jitendra Awhad was on Thursday sworn-in as a

in

.

Governor K. Sankaranarayanan administered the oath of office and secrecy to Awhad, the NCP state executive president, at a function in Raj Bhavan here.

Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Legislative Council chairman Shivajirao Deshmukh, Legisaltive Assembly speaker Dilip Walse-Patil, Home Minister R.R. Patil, MLAs and officials attended the function.

Awhad was inducted in the cabinet to fill up the vacancy created by sacking of Vijaykumar Gavit, whose daughter Heena Gavit contested and won against the Congress-NCP nominee from Nandurbar Lok Sabha constituency.

Earlier, there was speculation that the ministry would be expanded to fill up all the five vacancies in the cabinet as the state assembly elections are due in five months.

IANS