Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thacekray along with other senior leaders of the party will be holding a crucial meeting with the newly elected legislators at Sena Bhavan in Mumbai to decide on its strategy to join the BJP lead government in Maharshtra. Shiv Sena chief will also choose the leader of its legislature party in today’s meeting. AIR Mumbai correspondent quoting party sources reports that at this meeting Shiv Sena would take a final call on its stand on whether to join the Maharashtra government. It is being speculated that the party may also take a decision on whether to remain in the NDA or not.

Meanwhile, Senior Shiv Sena leader Chandrakant Khaire said the party is miffed with the decision of BJP to offer Minister of state rank to its offcial nomine and Rajya Sabha MP Anil Desai in spite of their demand for a cabinet rank for him. Khaire alleged that BJP's central leadership declined to hold talks with Shiv Sena over the latter's joining in Maharashtra government as a result Shiv Sena leadership decided to stay away from the swearing-in ceremony of the Union government’s first cabinet expansion held today.

AIR correspondent adds that Shiv sena is also upset with BJP’s decision to induct Suresh Prabhu in the union cabinet. Prabhu, a senior Sena leader, today resigned from Shiv Sena and joined the BJP before taking oath as the union cabinet minister.