In a hurry to form the Government in Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena, has broken its partnership with the BjP and has walked out of the NDA. Shiv Sena was BJP's oldest political partner and has been associated with the BJP from 1987 Ville Parle assembly byelection. Though the relationship has always been tension-filled, the Shiv Sena never tried the break the alliance. But, now with the prospects of coming to power quite imminent, the Shiv Sena has asked its lone minister in the NDA cabinet, Arvind Sawant to resign.


Shiv Sena has earlier been asked by the Nationalist Congress Party to come out of the NDA first and then seek its support. Shiv Sena followed it up by walking out of the NDA. Shiv Sena has 56 MLAs in a house of 288 and needs the support of both the NCP, which has 54 seats, and the Congress Party, which has 36 seats. The Congress is yet to spell out its conditions for joining hands with Shiv Sena.


Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiari has invited Shiv Sena, the second largest party in the assembly, to form the government after the BJP, the single largest party with 105 seats, has expressed its unwillingness to form the government. The BjP has the support of 15 independents, but still falls short of the majority mark by 20 seats. Now, the BjP will sit in the Opposition.