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Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday dropped hints that he was ready to be projected as the chief ministerial face in Maharashtra.
Thackeray’s comments came on a day when he met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal and other INDIA bloc representatives in New Delhi.
Thackeray was accompanied by his son Aaditya and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut. “The farmers and youngsters of Maharashtra are fed up with the opportunistic BJP-led alliance. The 13 crore people of Maharashtra are looking towards change,” Kharge said on X after the meeting.
Gandhi said the meeting with Thackeray was held in the context of the upcoming assembly election in Maharashtra. “The Maha Vikas Aghadi will contest the election together and win,” he said on his WhatsApp channel.
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Thackeray also met NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar, who had played a key role in stitching together the MVA coalition after the 2019 assembly election. Thackeray, who steered Maharashtra during Covid-19, said he had never dreamt of becoming chief minister.
“Ask them if they want me as the chief minister,” he said to questions of being projected as the chief ministerial face of the MVA alliance. “I had not dreamt of being a chief minister, nor I wanted to. But I am also not one who runs away from responsibility. I took up the responsibility and tried to deliver to the best of my abilities,” Thackeray said.
Thackeray was scheduled to meet former Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday. Meanwhile, in Mumbai Mahayuti leaders criticised Thackeray for the visit. “He is begging for the CM’s chair and forgetting what the late Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray taught the Shiv Sainiks,” Thane MP and Shiv Sena (Shinde) leader Naresh Mhaske said.
“Balasaheb was keen to finish off the Congress and had even raised questions about Sonia Gandhi’s contribution to India. Now his son can express apology for what the late leader had said,” he said.
When Pune is witnessing a deluge-like situation, Thackeray could have visited the city. Instead he chose to go to Delhi, Mhaske said. BJP city unit chief Ashish Shelar said Thackeray had gone to Delhi to “clean Congressmen’s utensils”.
“Thackeray has gone to Delhi not to raise issues affecting women, farmers or youths of Maharashtra. He has gone to the national capital to seek Congress’ support as he wants to become chief minister again,” Shelar said.
