Maha crisis: Shinde urged Thackeray to renew ties with BJP: Sena leader

Rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde had on Monday urged Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to renew the party's alliance with the BJP, a senior Sena leader claimed.

The leader said Thackeray had sent his confidante Milind Narvekar and Shinde's aide Ravindra Phatak to Surat to talk to the rebel leader, who is camping there along with other Sena MLAs since Monday night. A call was made to Thackeray from Surat, the leader said.

"The chief minister also had a telephonic conversation with Shinde during which the latter asked him to renew ties with the BJP and break the alliance with Congress and the NCP," the leader said.

Thackeray's response to Shinde's demand was not known, the leader said.