The Shiv Sena and the BJP on Monday announced their alliance (File)
After years of acrimony, the BJP and Shiv Sena announced truce on Monday as the two allies said they would contest Lok Sabha and assembly polls in Maharashtra together. However, peace lasted only for 2 days. On Wednesday, their leaders exchanged words over the Sena's condition for the alliance-- sharing the post of chief minister if they win polls.
BJP leader Chandrakant Patil's remark that the party winning more seats in assembly elections will get the chief minister's post, was sharply rebuked by Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam, who said the BJP was free to break the alliance if it was not in agreement with his party's condition.
"The Sena-BJP pact has been agreed on two major conditions. One was scrapping the Nanar refinery project in Konkan area and the other was sharing the chief minister's post for half-terms each," Mr Kadam was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
"It has been decided to have the chief minister's post with both parties for two-and-a-half years each. If the BJP does not want to fulfil its commitment, it should break the alliance right away," Mr Kadam added.
The Shiv Sena and the BJP on Monday announced their alliance, saying the two parties would contest on equal number of seats in assembly polls. In the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the Sena agreed to contest in 23 seats, whereas the BJP would contest in 25 seats.
The Shiv Sena and the BJP had contested the 2014 assembly polls separately. They, however, rejoined the alliance after the polls and formed a government in Maharashtra. The Sena, over the years, continued its attack on the BJP government at the centre.
After announcing the alliance, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray revealed the reason for agreeing to the alliance. "I experienced the change in the way they treat people, hence I decided to join hands with the BJP," Mr Thackeray said on Monday.
He said that the BJP's proposal that chief minister will be from the party which will send more lawmakers to the assembly was not acceptable to the Shiv Sena.
"I want to see a Sena chief minister and I will work for it," he said.
"I have already won in the treaty, now we should win the real battle of election," Mr Thackeray had said.
With inputs from PTI