BJP announces end of 25-year-old alliance with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra

NEW DELHI: BJP's Maharashtra chief Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday announced the break-up of his party's 25-year-old alliance with the Shiv Sena.

"We tried our best to save the alliance with the Shiv Sena," the BJP state chief said. "We tried hard till the end but couldn't ignore the concerns of the smaller parties."

"We are friends but have decided to go our separate ways," he added.

Differences over the position of chief minister in Maharashtra was one of the main reasons for the two parties to call it quits in the state.

Earlier, BJP president Amit Shah had cancelled his Mumbai visit, lending credence to speculation that the Sena-BJP alliance was heading for a split.

Shah's presence in Mumbai — he was scheduled to address a meeting at the Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini, a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh seminary in Uttan, in suburban Bhayander — would have helped the saffron leaders defuse the crisis.

Shah decided to stay away from Mumbai as it became clear that, to quote a Sena functionary, "the party was over."

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