Shiv Sena to declare Uddhav Thackrey CM candidate today; BJP says CM should be from party that wins more seats

The Shiv Sena is going all out to declare party chief Uddhav Thackeray as the CM candidate for the Maharashtra polls, notwithstanding BJP’s discomfiture over unilateral announcement of the alliance’s chief ministerial candidate.

At the end of the two-day party conclave that would end in Bandra on Thursday, the party’s foundation day, Sena leaders would demand that Thackeray be declared the CM candidate, party leaders said.

Sena functionaries will take a cue from Thursday's editorial in Sena mouthpiece ' Saamna' which would 'promise' the people of Maharashtra that the next chief minister would be from Sena. Having made the right noises demanding that Thackeray be the CM candidate, the Sena would then leave the decision to him.

The move to pitch Thackeray's name would rile BJP, which is demanding more seats from Sena for the forthcoming assembly polls.

"We want an honourable seat-sharing arrangement, considering our strength. The issue of chief minister would be decided after the elections, depending on the number of seats won," said a BJP leader.

Sena is adamant on not giving BJP more assembly seats for the precise reason of its unwillingness to part with the CMship. Since the Sena would contest 169 seats, leaving only 119 for BJP, it stands a better chance of winning more seats. Sena leader Manohar Joshi said on Wednesday that Uddhav would be the chief ministerial candidate.