Mumbai: The Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance announced Tuesday evening Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray as their nominee for the Maharashtra chief minister’s post. The swearing-in will be held at Shivaji Park in central Mumbai, November 28 a senior Sena leader told reporters.
Earlier Sharad Pawar had announced that the swearing-in ceremony will take place December 1, but was changed after Uddhav Thackeray met Maharashtra governor BS Koshyari
Uddhav Thackeray, who would be the first member of his family to occupy the top political post, said his government will not seek ‘revenge’ against anyone.
“I will go to Delhi to meet my ‘elder brother’ after the government is formed,” Thackeray said, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had called him ‘my younger brother’ during campaign rallies.
The decision to elect Thackeray as nominee for CM’s post was taken at a joint meeting of the three parties at a suburban hotel here, hours after the four-day-old BJP government led by Devendra Fadnavis and supported by NCP’s Ajit Pawar collapsed.
Maharashtra NCP chief Jayant Patil proposed Uddhav Thackeray’s name as ‘the (next) chief minister’. State Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat seconded the proposal.
The meeting was attended by Sharad Pawar, senior party leader Praful Patel, Congress leader Ashok Chavan, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana’s Raju Shetti, Samajwadi Party’s Abu Azmi, MLAs of all these parties and others.
Speaking at the meeting, Thackeray evoked memories of his father and late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray. He also thanked Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
“I want to thank Sonia ji also. Parties with different ideologies have come together…those who were friends for 30 years, did not trust us. But those against whom we fought for 30 years have trusted me,” Thackeray said.
“The fight is not personal…my government will not work in a vindictive way,” added the new chief minister-designate.
Speaking on the occasion, Pawar eulogised Bal Thackeray, his bitter adversary in politics but a dear friend in personal life.
PTI
