With Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray set to take oath as Maharashtra's chief minister, the party on Thursday heaped praises on NCP chief Sharad Pawar and termed him 'margdarshak' (guide) of the new government in the state. Though the Shiv Sena espouses the Hindutva ideology, it formed the 'Maha Vikas Aghadi' alliance with the NCP and Congress when the Uddhav Thackeray-led party fell out with the BJP over the issue of sharing the chief minister's post after the last month's Assembly elections.

An editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' acknowledged Sharad Pawar's efforts in taking the Sena-NCP-Congress alliance forward. The NCP chief, who spoke to Ajit Pawar on Tuesday and asked him to revisit his decision of supporting the BJP, has been credited for the u-turn by his nephew and is being described as the state political drama's 'man of the match'. "A strong and experienced 'margdarshak' like Sharad Pawar is with us. This government will not function with any deceitful intention against anyone," the Sena said.