Uddhav non-committal on chief ministerial candidature

Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray Thursday remained non-committal on his prospects of being projected as Maharashtra's chief ministerial candidate in the coming state assembly elections.

"I have not thought about it... whether or not I will become the chief minister. Our priority is to bring the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance to power in Maharashtra. The CM will be decided in consultation with the allies," Thackeray told media persons.

On the clamour from within his party, demanding that he should be the next state chief minister, he said it was the "love and affection of the party workers. I respect that and am thankful to the workers".

"However, the decision on who will be the next CM will be taken after consulting all the alliance partners. I have no such personal ambitions (to become CM), and I don't want to talk more about it," Thackeray said.

His son and Yuva Sena chief Aditya sat beside him at the end of a two-day long party conclave to mark the 48th anniversary celebrations of Shiv Sena Thursday.

On the issue of seat-sharing and demanding allocation of more seats from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to contest from, Thackeray said no such proposal has been made by the Shiv Sena.

The 'Grand Alliance' in the state will soon start seat-sharing talks with the Maharashtra assembly elections due within four months, he added.

Thackeray said that with the buoyant mood after the success in the recent Lok Sabha elections, the alliance will confidently face the assembly elections and urged all Shiv Sainiks "to get to work".

The Shiv Sena chief's assertions are expected to ease tensions brewing in the alliance over the critical issue of who would be projected as the next chief ministerial candidate, with several names from all major political parties already doing the rounds.

BJP state chief Devendra Fadnavis made it clear that it would only react to any official demands from the Shiv Sena on the issue.