Escalating the situation, the Shiv Sena has sent a clear message to its alliance partner, Bharatiya Janata Party, that it will not settle for anything less than equal share in power, including the CM's post, if the partners have to rule together for the next five years. It said all options were open if the agreement did not take place as per Sena's demands.

Sena president Uddhav Thackeray is learned to have told his legislators that though he was open to all options, he would not breach the alliance that was bound by the common thread of Hindutva. He wanted the BJP to come clear and tell him in writing if the terms and conditions that were agreed upon before the Lok Sabha polls would be implemented in totality.