BJP central observers will visit Mumbai and Chandigarh today to decide the names of legislature party leaders in Maharashtra and Haryana. Senior party leader Rajnath Singh and JP Nadda will visit Mumbai, while Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu and party leader Dinesh Sharma will reach Chandigarh to decide on who will lead the BJP governments in the two states. BJP's Maharashtra President Devendra Fadnavis is the front-runner for the post in Maharashtra, while in Haryana party leader Manohar Lal Khattar, state unit Chief Ram Bilas Sharma and Capt Abhimanyu are in the race for the top post. Hectic parleys are on within the BJP central leadership over the name of Chief Ministers in the two states. BJP Chief Amit Shah Monday met Union Minister Nitin Gadkari at his residence to discuss government formation in Maharashtra where the party falls short of majority. The meeting is also significant amid reports that BJP may send Mr. Gadkari back to Maharashtra as the Chief Minister. However, after the meeting, Mr. Gadkari denied the possibility, saying he is not in the race.

Sources said, BJP is not averse to taking support and bringing back Shiv Sena in its government, but it is believed that the party is not willing to be proactive to approach towards its old ally and wants to bring Sena in its fold on its own conditions.

BJP patriarch LK Advani and some RSS leaders have favoured an alliance with Shiv Sena. On the other hand, several newly elected MLAs of Haryana visited the BJP headquarters in New Delhi Monday to meet party leaders.