BJP board to take final call on CM

Mumbai: With exit polls predicting BJP coming to power in Maharashtra, a senior leader of the state unit has said the final decision on who will be the Chief Minister will be taken by the party's parliamentary board.

"Parliamentary board shall take the final decision on who shall be the Chief Minister after considering the recommended candidate by the elected MLAs," said Vinod Tawde, the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council.

"There seems to be speculation and buzz around BJP's CM candidate. However there's no race for CM's post, there is no front runner or back runner," Tawde, a member of state BJP's core committee, tweeted.

Meanwhile, another core committee member, Pankaja Munde, told reporters here today that "party workers" wanted to see her as the CM.

"People who wanted my father (the late Gopinath Munde) to be the Chief Minister are now demanding that I should become the next Chief Minister. It is not only my father's supporters, but also youths of the state want me to be the Chief Minister," she said.

"I have never aspired to CM's post. It is the feeling of party workers. I will abide by whatever the party decides," she said.

Exuding confidence that the BJP will get a clear majority on its own, Pankaja also said she was willing to talk to the estranged ally Shiv Sena if the need be.

"Through the Sangharsh Yatra, I was able to connect with the people. Although I have not jumped into the fray for the CM's post, party cadres have expressed their desire," Pankaja said.