CM-designate Uddhav Thackeray meets Sharad Pawar ahead of swearing-in ceremony

Maharashtra Chief Minister- designate Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday met NCP president Sharad Pawar here, a day ahead of the former's oath-taking ceremony as the process of forming the new council of ministers gathered momentum. The meeting between the two top leaders is taking place in the wake of Pawar's parleys with senior Congress functionaries Ahmed Patel, K C Venugopal and others earlier in the day.

Pawar and Thackeray, chief of the Shiv Sena, are expected to discuss issues related to the latter's ministerial council and the swearing-in ceremony, to be held at Shivaji Park in Dadar on Thursday evening. The Sena, the NCP and the Congress on Tuesday named Thackeray as the chief ministerial nominee of their 'Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi' that will form the next government in the state.

Ever since the Sena reached out to the NCP and the Congress for a pre-poll alliance, Pawar has been at the centre of government formation talks between the three parties.