Watch: BJP celebrates as Uddhav resigns as Maharashtra CM

Mumbai, Jun 29: Celebrations erupted at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) camp after Uddhav Thackeray resigned as Maharashtra Chief Minister. BJP leaders were seen distributing sweets, shouting slogans at Mumbai's Taj hotel.

Many leaders of the BJP, including state unit president Chandrakant Patil, congratulated each other on the collapse of the Shiv Sena-led MVA government.

Many of them said that Fadnavis will soon helm the state. Former minister and BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule said, "the truth prevailed, finally".

"Fadnavis always used to say that he will return to the House. Now, it's time. He will come back as the chief minister of Maharashtra," BJP MLA Nitesh Rane said.

Thackeray's announcement to step down as chief minister came minutes after the Supreme Court refused to stay the Maharashtra governor's direction to the Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by the Sena chief to take a floor test in the assembly on Thursday.

He had no regret leaving his post, Thackeray, who was facing a rebellion by majority of Shiv Sena MLAs led by Eknath Shinde, said. Thackeray, who heads the Shiv Sena, appealed to Sena workers to allow the rebel legislators to return and not take to the streets in protest.

"Let the rebels who grew politically because of Shiv Sena and Balasaheb Thackeray get joy and satisfaction of pulling down his son from the post of chief minister," Uddhav Thackeray said.

"I don't want to get into the numbers' game. It would be shameful for me to see if even one of my own party colleagues stands against me," he said.

The BJP is set to form the next government in the state with the support from Sena rebels led by Eknath Shinde and several independents who had earlier backed the government of Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance.