The Shiv Sena will not quit the BJP government as yet, but will continue to act as an opposition within to enforce good governance, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said at the party's customary Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park on Saturday. He added that the party has no reason to give up ministries because the BJP shared power elsewhere with partners of different ideologies. And yet, Thackeray threatened the BJP asking it to mend its ways, especially its skewed Hindutva programme, if it wanted to continue partnership with its old ally. Attacking PM Narendra Modi and CM Devendra Fadnavis came naturally to Thackeray because he believes strongly that the BJP is trying to finish the Sena by hook or by crook. And when he fired salvos at the government in view of the 23 deaths in Friday's stampede at Elphinstone station, an 'unwarranted' bullet train, rising inflation, failed demonetisation, agrarian crisis and misleading policy on cow protection, Thackeray ensured that the parent body of the BJP, the RSS, was kept in good humour.

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at the rally on Saturday. Pic/Rane Ashish