Mumbai: Veteran Congress leader Sushil Kumar Shinde was on January 17 elected as the leader of ruling Democratic Front (DF) coalition in Maharashtra.

Shinde was declared elected amidst loud thumping of desks and slogan-shouting in the Vidhan Sabha.

He is expected to meet Governor Mohammed Fazal soon to stake claim as the Chief Minister.

Shinde, who was elected as head of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) on January 16, is expected to be sworn-in as the new head of the state on January 18, making him the first dalit Chief Minister since its inception.

Earlier in the day, Vilasrao Deshmukh's resignation, which had been tendered on January 16 night, was officially accepted by Governor Mohammed Fazal.

The 289-member Assembly has 74 Congress Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs), 56 – Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), 69 – Sena, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – 56 and 12 independents. There are five Peasants' and Workers' Party (PWP) members, one – Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S), two – Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM), three – BBM- B, one – Republican Party of India (RPI) (Gavai) and three members of other smaller parties besides one nominated member in the state Assembly.

Six of the members of the House had been suspended by the Assembly Speaker minutes before the June 13, 2002 crucial vote of confidence against the Vilasrao Deshmukh ministry for switching loyalties.

PTI