Maharashtra polls: Who'll be the next chief minister? MVA, Mahayuti keep everyone guessing

MUMBAI/PUNE: With just hours to go before the people’s verdict is in, Uddhav Thackeray is keeping his cards close to his chest on a possible chief ministerial candidate, should the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance form the new government.

Thackeray, who is president of the MVA, had insisted that the coalition declare a chief ministerial face while campaigning for the assembly elections. But that did not happen. The Shiv Sena (UBT) now says the CM would not be determined by the number of seats won by each MVA alliance partner, which includes the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (SP). “A decision on the post of chief minister will not be taken on the basis of any formula over the number of MLAs. The decision will be taken after discussions in the alliance,” said senior party leader, Sanjay Raut.

Responding to a question posed by the media, Raut made a remark that has political circles all abuzz. “NCP leader Jayant Patil is a good driver and he could lead the state very well.” Party insiders say that Raut’s remark hints that the Sena (UBT) might offer the CM’s post to the Sharad Pawar-led NSP (SP), not the Congress. “If the MVA forms the government, and the NCP (SP) and Sena (UBT) together get better numbers than the Congress, the party might prefer the NCP over the Congress for the post of CM,” the party insider said. In that case, Thackeray would be returning the favour to Pawar, who had backed Thackeray’s candidacy for the chief minister’s post at the crucial MVA meeting to decide on the matter after the 2019 elections.

In a lighter vein, the Sena (UBT) insider remarked, “Recently, Sharad Pawar said in public that he would like to see a woman chief minister in Maharashtra. So anything can happen!”

The insider also said that Thackeray is currently miffed with the Congress. When he met the Congress leadership in Delhi in August, to discuss the CM’s post, among other election issues, his demand to declare a CM candidate in advance was turned down. It was turned down also by the state Congress leadership. Insiders say that Thackeray was hurt and took out his frustration on the Congress by locking horns with the party in the seat-sharing discussions.

Meanwhile, Pune doesn’t appear to have any dearth of chief ministerial hopefuls. Workers from various political parties have put up banners declaring their respective leaders as the next chief minister! Supporters of NCP chief Ajit Pawar have posters of him in the Marketyard area. Banners erected by NCP leader, Santosh Nagare, say: “Congratulations to Chief Minister Ajit Dada Pawar for victory.” NCP city unit executive president, Pradip Deshmukh, said, “All party workers want to wish their leaders. Some of our workers have put up banners of Ajit Dada as a chief minister. It is an emotional outpouring, and there’s nothing wrong with it.”

He said it had been the same during the election campaign in various constituencies. “Not only our workers but leaders from every party had put up banners wishing candidates who they wanted to see elected as MLAs.” For instance, BJP leader Sunny Nimhan had strung banners for Chandrakant Patil and Siddharth Shirole as MLAs in Aundh and Shivajinagar.

In almost in all eight assembly constituencies in Pune, workers of both the Maha Vikas Agadhi and Mahayuti alliance had put up banners for their candidates. In Khadakwasla assembly constituency, NCP (SP) workers carried out a ‘victory’ rally for Sachin Dodke immediately after voting ended.