The differences between the BJP and the Shiv Sena are believed to have reached flashpoint. The erosion in the public image of the alliance government, dogged as it is by controversies, extortion rackets, corruption and misgovernance, has worried the state BJP leadership no end. An increasing number of party activists feel it was high time the party distanced itself from the Sena and went into the next elections on its own steam.

According to sources, senior state BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde discussed the issue threadbare with party chief Kushabhau Thakre, who was in the city to inaugurate the three-day convention of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, the BJP's youth. However, the BJP president is believed to have cautioned the state BJP leadership against taking anyextreme step.

A senior state BJP functionary told The Indian Express the BJP president was of the opinion that the state party unit should not do anything that would go against the Vajpayee Government at the Centre.

The coalition partners have openly differed on several issues, particularly the proposal to give free power to farmers, free houses to slumdwellers in Mumbai, banning cricket matches between Pakistan and India in Mumbai and Sena chief Bal Thackeray's anti-Dalit stance.

Munde even admitted to differences between the Sena and BJP on many issues last week. ``We have our own problems, particularly with the partners. However, despite the piquant situation we will survive'', he had said.

The state BJP unit also felt the State Government has taken a beating on the Sahara scandal, alleged extortion rackets of Sena activists, concession in government premium for extra floor space index (FSI) to star hotels and corruption charges against Minister for Social Welfare Babanrao Gholap.

A seniorState BJP leader, who is also a sitting legislator, pointed out that one of the beneficiaries of the recent concession in premium for extra FSI was Chief Minister Manohar Joshi. ``His hotel would get a concession of over Rs 2 crore due to the recent Cabinet decision'', he said.

According to him, the prima facie evidence had established that Gholap was involved in the Rs 4.50 crore deposit scandal. ``How can a minister give permission to deposit government money in a dubious bank, blacklisted by the Reserve Bank of India?'' he asked, and pointed out that instead of dropping the minister from the Cabinet, the Chief Minister was shielding him.

The senior State BJP functionary felt such things would affect coalition partners in the Assembly elections due in March 2000. ``A majority of party members want that the BJP should sever ties with the government as a face-saving measure'', he claimed, adding the party could consolidate its position within a year and again emerge as a force to reckon with in thenext elections. ``If the alliance continues, we would certainly suffer a major setback in the elections due to the poor image of our ally, the Shiv Sena'', he added.

According to him, the alliance should not continue if the Sena does not give up on its controversial policies and anti-Dalit stance. ``We will discuss the issue in-depth at our forthcoming Navi Mumbai meeting. We will press the party leadership to take a decision on it by Makar Sankranti, on January 14'' , the leader said.

Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Pramod Mahajan, the architect of the alliance, and senior party leader and Union Minister of State for Railways, Ram Naik, have also been invited to the proposed meeting. The issue is also likely to figure in the BJP national executive meeting in Bangalore on January 2 and 3.

Meanwhile Munde's meeting with BJP president Kushabhau Thakre has fuelled speculations that the former had put in his papers as a pressure tactic to end the alliance with the Sena. However,Munde scotched the speculation.