As the decision about his appointment to the legislature as the governor’s nominee hangs fire, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene, sources claimed.

Thackeray spoke to Modi on phone and told him that attempts were being made to create political instability in the state, sources told PTI.

“Political instability in a huge state like Maharashtra when it is facing the Covid-19 crisis is not right and Thackeray urged the PM to look into it,” a source said.

The telephone call came a day after leaders of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi met governor B.S. Koshyari with a fresh cabinet recommendation to nominate Thackeray to the Legislative Council through the governor’s quota.

The first recommendation of the state cabinet had been made on April 9.

Thackeray, who is not a member of either House of the state legislature, was sworn in as chief minister on November 28, 2019.

Thackeray has to become a member by May 28 when he completes six months in office. Otherwise, he will cease to be the chief minister.

A delegation of MVA leaders led by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar met the governor on Tuesday, and handed over a copy of the cabinet decision to him.

A senior minister who was part of the delegation told PTI that he requested the governor to take a decision at the earliest.

The cabinet decision is valid in law and accepting the cabinet recommendation was binding for the governor, he said.

The governor replied that he would let them know of his decision within a week, the minister said.

Thackeray could not get elected to the council through biennial polls as the elections were postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak.