Pawar Rules out Declaring CM Candidate for Maharashtra

Mumbai: In a major setback to Uddhav Thackeray, NCP founder Sharad Pawar on Thursday ruled out announcing a chief ministerial candidate ahead of Maharashtra Assembly election. Pawar also made it clear that the CM candidate will be decided after the results of the election based on which party in the alliance secures the highest number of seats. Maharashtra Congress also supported Sharad Pawar’s idea, while Shiv Sena (UBT) wants Uddhav Thackeray to be projected as CM candidate before the election.

In a response to a query over the chief minister’s face, Pawar said that there is no need for Maha Vikas Aghadi to propose any name for the CM post before the election. “There is no need to think of a chief ministerial face now. In the past, the decision on who should lead was taken after the results. That decision is made based on the numbers. At present, there is nothing. There is a conducive atmosphere for us to get a majority (in the election),” the 83-year-old leader said.

Referring to elections after the emergency period in 1977, the NCP chief said that Jayaprakash Narayan had appealed to every political party to come together to oppose the Emergency in that Lok Sabha election. “There was no PM face for that election. Post this election, Morarji Desai’s name was announced for the PM’s post. Similarly, there is no need to discuss the Chief Minister’s name now. After getting the support from the people, we will provide a stable government,” Pawar said.

Pawar also said that Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and his party will hold a meeting over the seat sharing on September 7, 8 and 9. “I want the left leaning parties, who supported us in the recently concluded Lok Sabha election, should also be invited for the meeting,” he said.

Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said that the NCP chief is right, they are going as an MVA to contest the election. “After getting the majority to form the government, We will propose the chief minister’s face,” Patole said.

Reacting to Sharad Pawar’s statement, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray said that they are not contesting for the Chief Minister’s post, but to change the government in the state and throw out the BJP, which is a Maharashtra hater.