Mumbai (The Hindu): Amidst loud cheers and sloganeering from party activists, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday announced break of alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming civic polls, including in Mumbai, in the state.

Sena, which shares power with the BJP in both state and center will however remain in the governments at present.

Slamming the BJP, Mr Thackeray said that it was the time to take a decision. “How can I watch silently when you are intruding my home? I need all the strength from shiv sainiks. In future, Sena alone will ensure saffron flag flies high in the state. I will not to anyone asking and begging for an alliance. I will not survive on someone’s leftover. From now on, Sena will contest the upcoming municipal corporation and zilla parishad polls on its own. The battle is on and Sena activists is my strength who stand with me in unity,” said Mr Thackeray, addressing party function at Mumbai’s Goregaon area.

Referring to the 25 years of alliance with the BJP, Mr Thackeray said that his party wasted all those years by sticking with the BJP.

Sena and BJP had begun talks over seat sharing two weeks ago, with each party claiming that it was positive about the alliance. The talks however came to standstill when Sena offered only 60 seats to the BJP out of 227, which BJP seen as an ‘insult.’

Raking up the Hindutva agenda, Mr Thackeray criticized the BJP-led state government over an ordinance which has prohibited photos of gods and goddesses in the government offices. “They (BJP) are hellbent on removing photos. First Mahatma Gandhi was removed from a poster and instead Narendra Modi was installed. But Modi knows he is going to lose Uttar Pradessh elections. And as he knows, the BJP has remembered Ram, through Ram Mandir,” he said.

Ridiculing BJP’s transparency call ahead of BMC polls, Mr Thackeray said that he has absolutely no problem with transparency. “But will that transparency be seen in the functioning of state and central government?” he asked.

Reacting to Mr Thackeray's announcement, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis tweeted saying, "Power is not an achievement but means of a development. Providing transparent administration is key of our government.Those who want, with them, those who do not want, without them.Change would certainly take place."