Shiv Sena is out with its 'begging bowl' : NCP

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Majid Memon on Tuesday said the Shiv Sena, which has been repeatedly humiliated and ill-treated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is still willing to accept whatever the latter puts into its 'begging bowl'.

"Repeated humiliation and ill-treatment has brought no change in the conduct of the Shiv Sena. Even at this moment, the Shiv Sena is still hopeful that they would be taken in the government, not withstanding all kinds of humiliation against self respect and self esteem. The Shiv Sena is still willing to accept whatever the BJP puts into its begging bowl," he told ANI.

Memon further said that there could be a revolt within the Shiv Sena if they do not join the government, as some of its MLAs are hungry for power.

"The whole nation is watching that they are not in a position to give up power because some of their MLAs are probably threatening to revolt in case the party does not join the government and, therefore, it is a serious problem for the party chief," he added.

According to reports, intense negotiations are on between the BJP and Shiv Sena over the forming of an alliance government in Maharashtra.

Earlier on Sunday, the Shiv Sena had abstained from attending the expansion of the Union Cabinet. The Shiv Sena had also asked its nominee Anil Desai to return to Mumbai from the national capital.

The BJP and Shiv Sena snapped their 25-year alliance in September ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly polls over a seat-sharing disagreement.

The BJP minority government in Maharashtra headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will seek a vote of confidence tomorrow. At the moment, the BJP is 22 short of the halfway mark in Maharashtra Assembly.

Following the polls, the BJP had emerged as the single largest party with 122 seats in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly.

The Shiv Sena finished second with 63 seats. The NCP, which emerged victorious in 41 seats, has offered the BJP 'external support' to form the government in the state.