NCP leader Ajit Pawar was sworn in as deputy chief minister of Maharashtra on Monday during expansion of the Uddhav Thackeray-led council of ministers.

Pawar was sworn in to the post for the second time in just over a month.

Earlier, Pawar took oath as deputy CM on November 23 after he rebelled against the NCP and joined hands with the BJP. However, he resigned on November 26, leading to collapse of the three-day Devendra Fadnavis government.

Besides Pawar, former Maharashtra chief minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan also took oath as Cabinet minister in the Thackeray-led government on Monday.

NCP leader and former Assembly speaker Dilip Walse Patil, former leader of opposition in the Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde and former LoP in Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar were also sworn in.

Governor B S Koshyari administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers in the Vidhan Bhavan (state legislature) complex.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar were among those present at the swearing-in ceremony.