Decision on Maharashtra CM candidate after talks within MahaYuti: Uddhav

Says he respects Shiv Sena members' views that he should become the chief minister but he has not thought of it yet

Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday said the chief minister's candidate will be decided after consultation among the MahaYuti - an alliance of Shiv Sena, BJP, Republican Party of India, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana and the Rashtriya Samaj Party. The comments come as verbal duel is on between Shiv Sena and the BJP on who should be the chief minister of Maharashtra.

Thackeray said he respects Shiv Sena members' views that he should become the chief minister but he had not thought of it yet. Speaking to reporters after the party's two-day workshop here, he said the Assembly election, slated for September-October, would be contested by MahaYuti and the chief minister's candidate will be finalised after due discussion. "If I decide to become the chief minister, I will do so after speaking to all. Whatever I have to say about the chief ministerial candidate, I will tell the leaders of MahaYuti."

Thackeray's clarification comes at a time when some Shiv Sena leaders had announced he would be the party's chief ministerial candidate. BJP's state unit chief Devendra Fadnavis had said he will comment only after Thackeray makes a formal announcement in this regard.

On seat sharing for the Assembly poll, Thackeray said the leader of MahaYuti, yet to recover from the death of BJP leader Gopinath Munde, will soon meet to decide on a course of action.