Shiv Sena-BJP rift widens, Sena Minister may quit, claims being sidelined in Maharashtra Cabinet

Mumbai: The rift is widening between the Bharatiya Janata Party and its ally Shiv Sena in Maharashtra following the former's mauling in Delhi Assembly elections. MoS Revenue Sanjay Rathod of the Shiv Sena has alleged that he has been sidelined in the Devendra Fadnavis Cabinet.

Rathod's allegations came after the Sena took a dig at the BJP for its near wipeout in Delhi.

Sena in its editorial mouthpiece Saamna said the saffron party has been turned into "dirt" by the broom-wielding Aam Aadmi Party and targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the poor show. The Sena also said it's a lesson for BJP that elections cannot be won merely on the back of poll promises and speeches.

"The BJP, which won a resounding majority in the Lok Sabha elections has been turned into 'dirt' by the 'broom-wielding' Aam Aadmi Party. BJP leaders do not even need fingers to count the number of seats they won. Putting the blame of defeat on Kiran Bedi isn't right," Sena said in an editorial in its mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

"Elections are not merely won on the back of speeches and poll promises. This election has brought to the fore unrest within the party. Amit Shah failed to cast his magic on people and using Modi as the final weapon too failed to yield results," the BJP-ally in Maharashtra said.

The Sena that the BJP should make it clear that who would shoulder the responsibility of the party's defeat.

"The entire election campaign was run in the name of Modi. Anna Hazare said this is Modi's defeat. We too feel the same. The way the party attributed its success in other states to Modi, they should do the same for Delhi," Sena said.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led party questioned if this is the beginning of a new era in national politics and mocked that BJP's fall is the result of the negative campaigning led by Modi and his colleagues.

"Are the Delhi results a start of a new era in politics? Why did people desert the BJP? Unemployment rate has not gone down, inflation is persistent, homeless haven't got homes and poll promises haven't been fulfilled," it said.

"Along with Modi, all BJP leaders mocked at (Congress Vice-President) Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal in their speeches. Ultimately, the BJP had to bear the consequences of this negative campaign," it added.

Sena said even inviting Barack Obama before the elections proved futile.