Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has finally accepted the offer to head the upcoming three-party state government. The endorsement came from Thackeray's close aide and party MP Sanjay Raut after Friday's meeting between Sena, Congress and NCP, following NCP boss Sharad Pawar's statement that the parties have reached a consensus over the Sena president's nomination. Uddhav will be the first from his family, that has given the state three coalition governments, to hold the CM's post.

The Sena chief will go into the job with handicaps such as lack of administrative and legislative experience. His father, Sena founder late Bal Thackeray had preferred to remote-control the governments and had not allowed his family members to get into electoral politics. Uddhav has changed that, having allowed his son Aaditya to contest Assembly polls.