It is not just state politics that seems to be at stake for the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, but also its weakening 20-year-old hold over India's richest civic body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). If a section of saffron camps' leaders is to be believed, the fear of losing control of BMC is what seems to be stopping Sena from playing hardball and staying away from BJP at the state-level.

The first litmus test will come on November 22 when elections for the post of Mumbai's Mayor are to be held. A BJP leader, speaking to mid-day on the condition of anonymity, categorically mentioned that his party genuinely wants the Sena to be a part of Devendra Fadnavis' sarkar version 2. However, expressing displeasure over Sena's nasty comments about their leader Devendra Fadnavis, the BJP leader questioned Matoshree's intention. "If at all Sena plans to do something different at the state level, will the party exhibit similar courage and prove its majority without an alliance partner's support in the BMC?" the leader quipped.