BJP in secret pact with MNS, wants to dump Sena: NCP

Mumbai, Mar 11:

on Tuesday alleged that

has entered into a tacit understanding with Raj Thackeray-led

and the party was shying away from declaring it's tie-up out of fear of hurting its prospects in Hindi-speaking belt, especially in UP and Bihar.

"MNS is not putting up candidates against BJP nominees (in Maharashtra) and hence the hidden pact is out in the open. The alliance is not being announced publicly because it may hurt BJP in north India because of MNS' anti-north Indian stand," NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik told reporters.

Malik said Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray was turning a blind eye to the sentiments of his party workers who were apparently hurt by BJP's hobnobbing with MNS.

"It is sad that Uddhav Thackeray is unable to see this hidden pact. Uddhav is turning a blind eye to the sentiments of shiv sainiks. Even NCP was asking who heads the BJP in Maharashtra but were not finding answers.

NCP: Sad that Uddhav Thackeray is unable to see this hidden pact

Today, Uddhav also has asked the same question," Malik said. He said former BJP president Nitin Gadkari has introduced the "built operate transfer (BOT) formula in politics and BJP was applying it on Sena and MNS.

"Ally with someone for power, make maximum use of the person, sidestep him after use and look for new friends, this seems to be Gadkari's ploy," Malik said. Malik said BJP wanted to dump its oldest ally Shiv Sena and join hands with MNS as it feels Sena has became a spent force in state politics.

"Raj Thackeray has been an ambassador of Narendra Modi for the last two years. He is treated as a state guest in Gujarat," the NCP leader pointed out.

PTI