India, May 21 -- Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal was on Tuesday sworn in as a minister in the Devendra Fadnavis-led Maharashtra government, underscoring the 77-year-old's enduring relevance in the state's politics just months after being all but written off when he was excluded from the cabinet in December.

"All is well that ends well," said Bhujbal at Mantralaya, after his swearing-in ceremony at Raj Bhavan, which was attended by Fadnavis, his two deputies, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, and other ministers. "I have been sworn in as a minister several times since 1991 and also handled several portfolios. I am ready to take any responsibility given to me by the chief minister and deputy chief ministers," he ...