MUMBAI: Addressing a meeting of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) on Friday, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray insisted on deciding MVA’s chief ministerial face first rather than going by the logic of who wins most seats, asserting that he would back any candidate announced by the Congress and the NCP (Sharad Pawar) group the other two alliance partner of the bloc. Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly are likely in October or November.

“First, decide (the CM’s face) and then go ahead but do not go by this policy (those having the most seats will get the CM’s post),” Thackeray said further adding, “Uddhav Thackeray will back any candidate announced by Congress and NCP (SP) as the CM face of MVA. I don’t have the feeling that I am fighting for myself but it is for the rights of Maharashtra.” He added that if the Lok Sabha polls were to protect democracy and the Constitution, then the assembly polls would be a fight to preserve Maharashtra’s self-respect. 

Thackeray also shared his experience with his former alliance with the BJP and said that in that understanding whoever had the numbers would get the CM’s post, but he said this policy was detrimental as this would lead to one party trying to defeat the other’s candidate to maintain an upper hand in the alliance.

During his address to the joint meeting of the alliance Thackeary, also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Waqf (Amendment) Bill and asked why it was not passed when the BJP was in absolute majority.

Notably, while NCP president Sharad Pawar present at the meeting remained silent on Thackeray’s plea, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole asserted that the final decision regarding the CM’s post would be made by the INDIA bloc leaders.