Munde meets Uddhav, says no differences on CM’s post

After party leaders floated his name as the chief ministerial candidate for the forthcoming polls overruling the claims...

After party leaders floated his name as the chief ministerial candidate for the forthcoming polls overruling the claims of its ally — the Shiv Sena — BJP national general secretary and former Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde met Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday.

Though the Sena is seen to be the senior partner in the saffron alliance at the state level, in a rally held in the presence of Leader of the Opposition L K Advani last week in Vidharbha, BJP Maharashtra president Nitin Gadkari had said Munde would be their chief ministerial candidate. This had reportedly ruffled the Sena’s feathers.

Gadkari had been involved in a leadership battle with Munde a few days ago, and Munde had met Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray at his Bandra residence to press his stand. However, speaking to the media after meeting Uddhav at the Sena Bhavan on Tuesday, Munde stressed there were no differences between the allies on the issue of the CM’s post and the old formula, wherein the party with more seats (in the Assembly) would get the chair, would continue.

He added the BJP did not agree with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray’s comments (on the issue of migrants) and said though he wanted to contest the Lok Sabha elections, he would also fight the state Assembly polls if his party wanted him to.