Shiv Sena has become a liability, says BJP minister

"It's true that we could share power in Maharashtra because of the Shiv Sena. But the alliance with the Sena has become a liability now and we could part ways if the party doesn't behave itself," a Bharatiya Janata Party minister told the Maharashtra Times. The BJP is reportedly perturbed by this week's violent incidents involving Shiv Sainiks which led to Union Home Minister Indrajit Gupta flying down to Bombay for an on the spot assessment of the law and order situation.

Senior BJP leaders have reportedly told Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray and Chief Minister Manohar Joshi that the party will not support any "illegal and objectionable activities" of the Sena.

BJP activists and legislators believe they can no longer support the Sena whenever its Sainiks run amuck. "For how much longer can we take this? It's better to part ways," one BJP activist said.

Another BJP leader expressed his party's resentment over the law and order situation in Maharashtra. The extortion rackets allegedly run by some Sena leaders, the Ramesh Kini murder controversy, the manhandling of Dr Vishwanath Yemul (director of the Haffkine Institute), Sunday's attack on Opposition leaders have all fuelled the BJP's resentment. Even as the controversy over the attack on Congress leaders raged, Shrikant Sarmalkar, the Shiv Sena legislator from Kherwadi in north-west Bombay, attacked the director of the Lilavati Hospital in Bandra.

For the BJP, the situation is all the more piquant because Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Gopinath Munde is a senior party leader.

Compiled by Prasanna D Zorey from the Marathi press