Uddhav Thackeray may take over as the new Chief Minister of Maharashtra and lead an alliance of Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress, said sources over a crucial on-going meeting between the allies continued today evening. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and NCP chief Sharad Pawar have left the meeting and very briefly spoke to the media, saying the decision over Maharashtra government formation would be announced at a press conference.
The alliance, tentatively calls itself the "Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (development front)", sources indicated on Thursday. In a meeting between the three parties, NCP and Congress want Uddhav Thackeray to be the new chief minister of Maharashtra, according to sources. Whether the Sena chief will keep his chief ministership for five years or agree to hand over to the NCP after half-term is among the details that are still not ironed out.
The Shiv Sena made it clear that it wants Uddhav Thackeray for the entire term, without any rotational arrangement. A common minimum programme that can accommodate the vastly different agendas of the Sena and the Congress will also be discussed today as the three parties try to find a way of collaborating for the first time.
Late on Thursday evening, as Sharad Pawar returned from Delhi, Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya Thackeray went to meet the Nationalist Congress Party chief. Sena leader Sanjay Raut and NCP's Ajit Pawar were also present at the meeting, sources said.
