Uddhav Thackeray has given consent to become Maharashtra Chief Minister: Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has given his consent to become Maharashtra chief minister, senior party leader Sanjay Raut told media on Friday.

The development came shortly after Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar said that Thackeray will lead Maharashtra government. 

"We all have consensus on the name of Uddhav Thackeray as the Chief Minister," Pawar stated.

The NCP, the Congress and the Sena, earlier in the evening, held a high-octane meeting to deliberate the government forming formula in Maharashtra. 

Pawar said that the parties will hold a press conference on Saturday and that discussions are still going on, news agency ANI reported. 

"Tomorrow we will also decide when to approach the Governor," he said. 

"All three parties had positive discussions about government formation. We've reached a consensus on many issues but talks to continue tomorrow. Whatever Sharad Pawar Ji has said is on record, I won't speak on that. When we've discussed all things, we'll speak on them," former Maharashtra CM and Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan said.

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel said that the meeting between the three parties was "inconclusive" and that the "discussions will continue tomorrow".

The three parties held hectic deliberations earlier today to decide upon government formation in Maharashtra.

Maharashtra came under President's Rule on November 12 after all the parties failed to form a government in the state. 

The BJP, which emerged as the single largest party, could not stake claim to form a government as its ally Shiv Sena remained firm on rotating the Chief Minister's post and equal sharing of Cabinet berths.

Shiv Sena parted its ways with BJP to explore ways to form a government. It, however, failed to prove the support of the required number of MLAs in the time given by state Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.

The Governor had then invited NCP, the third-largest party, to prove its ability to form the government failing which President's Rule was imposed in the state.

The Shiv Sena is now in talks with the Congress and NCP to form a government in Maharashtra.

The BJP won 105 seats in the 288-member assembly followed by Shiv Sena 56, NCP 54 and Congress 44. 

(With inputs from ANI)