In dire need of alliance partners in the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to avoid duelling publicly with the Shiv Sena. Party president Amit Shah issued clear directives to this effect during his two-day visit to Mumbai. The instructions came on a day the Sena boycotted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's functions in Kalyan and Pune, because party president Uddhav Thackeray was not invited to share the dais with him.

Earlier, a miffed Sena had held the ground-breaking ceremony of Mumbai's coastal road at which the chief minister was not invited. Sources said talks for seat-sharing between the two may soon gain momentum as feelers had already been exchanged. The instructions came on a day the Sena boycotted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's functions in Kalyan and Pune, because party president Uddhav Thackeray was not invited to share the dais with him.