The Shiv Sena has finally broken away from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over a dispute in government formation in Maharashtra. The partyтАЩs Minister in Union Cabinet, Arvind Sawant, has resigned.

The party is in the process of forming a non-BJP coalition government in Maharashtra, with a its man as the Chief Minister. ┬а┬а

On Monday morning, Shiv SenaтАЩs spokesman Sanjay Raut, told reporters that the party is making all the efforts to form a government with Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Uddhav Thackeray, the party's President, had asked Union Minister Arvind Sawant to resign from the Union government.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar wanted the Shiv Sena to quit the NDA in turn for supporting the party, in its bid to form the government in the State.

Raut said that the Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has given to Shiv Sena less than 24 hours to form the government. He said that the Shiv Sena can form the government, but it needed a little more time. "A common minimum programme is being worked out by all the parties," he said. ┬а

He also alleged that BJP was also attempting to push for a president's rule in Maharashtra.

PTI adds

The SenaтАЩs lone minister in the Modi Cabinet took to Twitter to announce his decision, a day after Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari invited his party to stake claim to form government in the state.

Read more:Maharashtra: Shiv Sena invited to form govt in Maharashtra

тАЬThe Shiv SenaтАЩs stand is of truth. Why should I stay in atmosphere of falsehood in Delhi? I am resigning as Union minister and will speak at a press conference in Delhi at 11 AM,тАЭ Sawant tweeted.

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He said before the Lok Sabha elections, a formula was worked out on sharing of power and seats. Both the Shiv Sena and the BJP agreed to it. тАЬBut now, it is shocking that the decision arrived at is being denied and the Shiv Sena is being projected as not speaking truth. This is shocking. This is a blot on the stateтАЩs pride. The BJP has parted ways by crossing limits of falsehood,тАЭ he said in another tweet.

Hours after the BJP declined to form government in Maharashtra on Sunday, the governor asked the Shiv Sena to тАЬindicate the willingness and abilityтАЭ of the party to stake claim.

The Sena, which is the second-largest party in the 288-member House with 56 MLAs after the BJP (105), has time till 7.30 pm on Monday to stake claim to form government. While the Sena has been making efforts to reach out to the NCP and the Congress, the Sharad Pawar-led party on Sunday said the Sena will have to walk out of the NDA first.

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