Shiv Sena attacks BJP over treatment to allies

Slamming the BJP over "ill-treatment" of its alliance partners, the Shiv Sena said today the branding of old allies as sworn enemies is "disgusting and sickening".
"Nowadays, there is a trend to brand old friends as sworn enemies and that is disgusting. We highlighted this trend. Now (TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh chief minister) Chandrababu Naidu has also brought this out in the open," an editorial in Sena mouthpiece Saamana said.
"In politics, there are new and old allies, but the trend of projecting old allies as enemies is sickening. We have spoken up against such ill-treatment meted out to us, and now Naidu has also done so," the Sena said.

It also dismissed news reports that Naidu and Sena president Uddhav Thackeray discussed the issue of alleged maltreatment of alliance partners of the BJP.
Soon, there will be reports of other NDA leaders dialling 'Matoshree' (Thackeray's residence), the Sena said.
"He (Naidu) has our best wishes. If he decides to break the shackles of slavery and work for Telugu pride, he will surely get the support of the people. But he will have to chalk out his own political course," it said.

The Sena's remarks came after reports that Naidu made a phone call to Thackeray on Saturday morning ahead of a TDP meeting called to decide the party's future in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.

Naidu is reportedly upset with the BJP-led government at the Centre for "ignoring" his state in the Union budget.
"In politics, there are no permanent friends or rivals. In politics, there are differences over ideologies, but never personal animosity or enmity. But what is the scenario today?" the editorial asked.