"MNS is not putting up candidates against BJP nominees (in Maharashtra) and hence the hidden pact is out in the open. The alliance is not being announced publicly because it may hurt BJP in north India because of MNS' anti-north Indian stand," NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik told reporters.
Malik said Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray was turning a blind eye to the sentiments of his party workers who were apparently hurt by BJP's hobnobbing with MNS.
He said former BJP president Nitin Gadkari has introduced the "built operate transfer (BOT) formula in politics and BJP was applying it on Sena and MNS.
"Ally with someone for power, make maximum use of the person, sidestep him after use and look for new friends, this seems to be Gadkari's ploy," Malik said.
"Raj Thackeray has been an ambassador of Narendra Modi for the last two years. He is treated as a state guest in Gujarat," the NCP leader pointed out.