BJP gets ready to fight solo, but doors still open for Shiv Sena

New Delhi: Even though Shiv Sena has broken the alliance with its long-time friend Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), an effort to patch them up is still on. Meanwhile, the Maharashtra BJP leaders sent fillers to the central leadership that even if BJP fights the election alone in the next time they will come up with a better result.

However, the central leaders believe that even if future results are better, there is still a challenge as they have to cross the single majority mark- which is 145.

Besides, though the two rightist parties stayed loyal to each other for nearly three decades, once big brother Shiv Sena constantly asked for better treatment in the association. But BJP's unwillingness led the Shiv Sainiks to approach to once foe Congress and NCP to form the government. Though BJP finds the combination of 'three' against 'two' evanescent and derides, "traditionally, whenever Congress supports any government, it lasts for a very short period." But, the 'unusual' political combination is not a new formula in Indian politics. In 2015, BJP and PDP also jointly formed government in Jammu and Kashmir.

So, Shiv Sena dared the BJP of leading the state with the Congress and NCP based on arithmetic. In the 288-member House, the BJP is the single-largest party with 105 MLAs while the Sena has 56. The Congress and NCP have 44 and 54 MLAs respectively.

Meanwhile, the BJP, who opted out of the race chose to 'wait and watch' till the final declaration. The party leaders have been asked to restrain from making any statement on the political crisis in Maharashtra. "Politics is not only about the number-game, but the chemistry," a party source said while asked.

BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar met RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday amid political uncertainty in the state to seek for solution. Even, Sangh advised BJP the same, according to Mungantiwar. The party is further looking for taking the sole credit of Hindutva post Ayodhya verdict to gain the political edge largely. On the other side, it still has left the 'Mahayuti' option open for Shiv Sena as it has another six months to introspect, party insiders claimed.