Maharashtra polls: Agree or break away, BJP to Shiv Sena

New Delhi/ Kolhapur: Setting itself on a confrontation path with its oldest ally, BJP on Thursday gave Shiv Sena an ultimatum to agree on a seat-sharing formula for the coming Assembly elections or face a break down of the alliance.

Having jacked up its demand for contesting 135 of the 288 seats, which has been rejected by Shiv Sena, senior BJP leaders have communicated to Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to decide by this evening whether his party was willing to conform to a “mutual and respectable” seat-sharing formula.

The BJP’s ultimatum comes against the backdrop of party President Amit Shah's tough talk this morning in Kolhapur that there will be no compromise at the cost of self-respect.