him to discuss his demands for special financial assistance for his state. Mr Thackeray's Sena contested a recent by-election in Maharashtra against the BJP. The Palghar seat was retained by the BJP , though by a narrow margin of 30,000 votes.That election was part of 15 assembly and parliamentary seats that saw the BJP winning just two . In March, the party lost two prestige seats in Uttar Pradesh , the state that determines who governs India because it elects as many as 80 members of parliament.

Chastened, Mr Shah has quickly lined up a series of consults with partners to ensure that dotted lines to them remain intact ahead of the general election, especially crucial now that the opposition is making a concerted attempt to collate against MrModi. A united opposition which combines different voter groups is seen as the only shot that non-BJP parties have at frustrating Mr Modi's re-election. In Karnataka last month, the Congress quickly accepted junior partner status and allowed regional leader HD Kumaraswamy to become Chief Minister so that the BJP could not form the government."Why is Amit Shah meeting NDA allies after losing by-elections?" Saamana asked today. "In 2019, the Shiv Sena will fight alone," it asserted. However, the Sena's own strength in Maharashtra has not been inarguable. It struggled to hold onto Mumbai's municipal corporation, a hugely rich body that it has controlled for two decades. The BJP was just two seats behind. The BJP also won a series of local bodies in other parts of the state.