Saffron alliance on brink as Sena hits back at BJP

 The saffron alliance in Maharashtra tottered on the brink as Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray hit back at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), virtually calling it a party of "liars", here on Friday.

Responding to outgoing Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' statement that there was "no discussion between the BJP and Shiv Sena on sharing the post of Chief Minister", Thackeray said: "(BJP President) Amit Shah himself gave me this assurance. Now they're going back on their word. That's why I have stopped talking to liars."

Appearing to take the final stage of no return, the Sena chief said: "Giving the state a Sena Chief Minister was a promise I made to my father (the late Bal Thackeray). We don't need the support of the BJP, Shah or Fadnavis for achieving that."

He also called upon the BJP to immediately stake claim to form the government as it was the largest single party, failing which "all options are open before the Sena", which would not abandon the people of Maharashtra. IANS