Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray would be the next chief minister of Maharashtra, the NCP said on Tuesday, while claiming that collapse of the Devendra Fadnavis government has punctured the BJP's "arrogance".
Leaders of Sena, NCP and Congress will hold a meeting shortly and then meet Governor B K Koshyari, said NCP chief spokesperson Nawab Malik here.
He dismissed Fadnavis's claim that the Sena-NCP- Congress coalition will not last long, and stated that their government will run not only for five years, but for "20-25 years".
Earlier in the day, Fadnavis tendered his resignation for want of numbers after his deputy, NCP's Ajit Pawar, stepped down citing "person reasons".
"This is victory of the people...the people of Maharashtra have deflated the arrogance of BJP leaders," Malik told reporters ahead of a meeting of leaders of the NCP, Sena and Congress.
"Uddhav Thackeray will be the next chief minister, (NCP supremo Sharad) Pawar has already said. Uddhav-ji has also consented to be the chief minister," Malik said.
The leaders of the three parties will meet Governor Koshyari after their meeting, he said.