A week after the Assembly poll results were out in Maharashtra, deadlock over power sharing between the BJP and ally Shiv Sena continued on Thursday as developments in the opposition Congress-NCP camp triggered talks of possible formation of an alternative government. The day saw a series of meeting between senior leaders of major non-BJP parties, triggering talks in political circles about possibility of the Sena forming a government with the backing of opposition parties. The Shiv Sena rubbished reports of a climbdown and on Thursday again indicated it had not given up its claim on the post of chief minister and 50:50 division of portfolios.

Both these demands have been rejected by the BJP which has insisted that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will continue in the post for the next five years. Adopting a harsh tone, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party on Thursday accused the BJP of enacting "second act" of the "use and throw" policy while dealing with its ally. Whatever was decided when the two parties stitched up alliance before the Lok Sabha elections should be implemented, the Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' said in an editorial. Sena MP Sanjay Raut described as "rumours" reports that his party has softened its stand on the issue of sharing power with senior partner BJP. Raut, the executive editor of 'Saamana', described reports in a section of the media alluding to the 'softening of stand' by the Sena as hearsay.