Mumbai: The Shiv Sena Friday announced a complete boycott of the swearing-in ceremony of the first BJP government in Maharashtra, scheduled later in the day.
In a front-page statement in the party mouthpiece, Saamana and Dopahar ka Saamana, the party said that no legislator, parliamentarian or other officials shall take part in the oath taking ceremony of BJP's Chief Minister-designate Devendra Fadnavis and his small cabinet at Wankhede Stadium.
The Sena also quoted party secretary and MP Vinajayak Raut as saying that "since the BJP has not given due respect and dignity, the party leaders are asking why they should attend the swearing-in function".
Indicating that the former 25-year old saffron alliance was beyond any repair, Raut said that nobody from the Shiv Sena would be present for the function.
The indications were available when Sena President Uddhav Thackeray cancelled a scheduled party meeting late Thursday to finalise plans to join the government and other issues.
The cancellation apparently followed statement by BJP general secretary Rajiv Pratap Rudy who said that it "seems unlikely Shiv Sena will be part of government as of now", which was not liked by many in the Sena.
Earlier there was a possibility of the Sena joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government with a few ministers, which later reportedly came down to just two ministers. The BJP insisted on no pre-conditions for support or joining the administration.
The BJP had broken the alliance Sep 25, just three weeks before the Maharashtra assembly elections.
