Don’t worry about the next CM; focus on Assembly polls: Maha CM and Shiv Sena chief

Shiv Sena workers should stop speculating about the next chief minister and concentrate on winning the ensuing assembly elections, said chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on the occasion of Sena’s 53rd foundation day celebration on Wednesday.

For the first time, the Sena had invited Fadnavis as the chief guest for the function.

There has been a debate within the political circles whether Sena would get the chief ministership if the saffron combine returns to power in the assembly elections. In the last few weeks, there were intense speculations that Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray will occupy the top chair or at least post of deputy chief minister.

“We are not after power. We believe in providing good governance. Stop speculating who will become the chief minister. Leave it to me and Uddhav Saheb. We will reveal all this at the appropriate moment. Our main aim should be to win the coming elections with a thumping majority,” said Fadnavis.

Similarly, Thackeray said all modalities on power-sharing have already been worked out in the February pre-Lok Sabha meeting with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah.

“There were strains in our relationship with the BJP on various issues. But it has been sorted in the meeting with Amit Shah and Fadnavis. We have worked out all the modalities keeping in mind the complications that may arise in the future,” said Thackeray.

Thackeray said that the alliance was formed after clearing all the issues between Sena and BJP.

Expecting that the BJP would also invite him to a similar meeting as he invited Fadnavis, Thackeray said, “We should share everything equally.”

On this day, 53 years ago, Sena founder Bal Thackeray had started the party at his residence in Shivaji Park.

The Sena, which was a big brother in the alliance with the BJP, faced a jolt when the latter broke the alliance in 2014 assembly polls and secured 122 seats.

Though Sena later joined the government, it remained a major critic of BJP all across the term and even announced its intentions to contest solo.

However, prior to recent Lok Sabha polls, Amit Shah had convinced Thackeray to come on board.