File photo of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray
Late on Tuesday night, the BJP and the Shiv Sena officially opened negotiations for a reconciliation that could allow them to form the next government in Maharashtra together.
Shiv Sena's Subhash and Anil Desai took an evening flight to Delhi and reportedly met BJP leaders last night. The Sena leaders flew back to Mumbai this morning and will report back to their chief Uddhav Thackeray later today.
For days since the Maharashtra election results, the Sena chief was kept on tenterhooks by the BJP, which has been non-committal on re-engaging with him after the bitter break-up between the allies last month.
Last night, Mr Thackeray had reason to hope after BJP leaders hinted at a preference for the Sena. "We are talking to Shiv Sena. I hope the results will be positive. We are happy to form a government with them," said Union minister and senior BJP leader from Maharashtra Nitin Gadkari.
Earlier on Tuesday, Om Prakash Mathur, a key strategist of the BJP, told NDTV that the Shiv Sena is "a natural ally" but added, "We are the big brother. The Shiv Sena should accept that."
In the election, the BJP won its best-ever result in Maharashtra but needs 22 more seats to form the government. The Shiv Sena placed second. Any chance of the Shiv Sena exploiting the BJP's need for a partner was blown to pieces by Sharad Pawar's party, the NCP, which made a surprise public offer to back the BJP.
Mr Pawar's party was a partner of the BJP's arch-rival, the Congress, though that marriage also ended before the state election.
Mr Thackeray said that after he called the PM and BJP president Amit Shah after the election results to suggest "looking forward", there was no follow through. The BJP, keen to tighten the squeeze on him, has repeatedly declared that it has not yet ruled out Mr Pawar as its new political partner.
BJP sources have made it clear that the Shiv Sena has to accept that it is not in a position to claim hefty posts like Deputy Chief Minister or key portfolios like Finance or Home, should a reconciliation be forged.