Shiv Sena legislators on Friday urged party chief Uddhav Thackeray to take the reins of the new government which is expected to be formed in the next few days in alliance with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress.
In a meeting of party MLAs at Thackeray’s residence, Matoshree, the legislators requested him to take up the chief minister’s (CM) post once the new government is formed. “All MLAs have demanded that Uddhavji lead the party in the government,” said Pratap Sarnaik, one of the MLAs, said after the meeting.
Gulabrao Patil, Sena MLA from Nashik district, said Thackeray should become CM and take the oath at Shivaji Park. “All the MLAs unanimously requested him to take the responsibility to lead us in the government. Shiv Tirth [Shivaji Park] is a special place for Sena,” Patil said. Another MLA, Uday Samant, said they have given the party chief the authority to make all decisions regarding government formation and the CM post.
Senior Sena leader Eknath Shinde is also said to be a contender for the top post. Sena functionaries, however, said Thackeray is not keen to put forward his name, as Shinde is considered close to the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership.
{{/usCountry}}Senior Sena leader Eknath Shinde is also said to be a contender for the top post. Sena functionaries, however, said Thackeray is not keen to put forward his name, as Shinde is considered close to the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership.
{{/usCountry}}During the meeting, Thackeray also told the MLAs that the process of government formation would be started in a day or two. The MLAs were made to sign forms in the prescribed format.
Sena MLAs have been put up at a hotel in Andheri as top leaders of Congress, NCP and Sena finalise the alliance in Mumbai. The MLAs had been asked to get a change of clothes and identity documents as Sena had planned to take them to Rajasthan. However, in wake of rapid developments in Mumbai, they were asked to stay back, said Samant.