As the impase between the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party continued for the 15th day, sources told Rediff.com that Union minister Nitin Gadkari would meet Sena President Uddhav Thackeray at Matoshree in Mumbai on Friday.

Gadkari, who met Rashtriya Swyamsevak Sangh Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday in Nagpur, said that Devendra Fadnavis would head the new government in the state.

The Lok Sabha member from Nagpur also ruled out his return to his home state to assume the top job.

The BJP and Shiv Sena are locked in a tussle over the chief minister's post, resulting in a stalemate in government formation despite results of the October 24 assembly polls giving the alliance a combined seat strength of 161, way past the 145 majority mark in the 288-member House.