India, Aug. 22 -- Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has reached out to Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray to seek their support in the vice-presidential election set for September 9.

Fadnavis confirmed to Hindustan Times on Wednesday that he had spoken to Thackeray, while defence minister Rajnath Singh also called both leaders the same evening. However, BJP insiders said neither Pawar nor Thackeray gave a firm response.

The BJP has fielded Maharashtra governor CP Radhakrishnan as the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) nominee for the polls scheduled on September 9. The decision was cleared by the party's parliamentary board, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunda...