Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut

On the eve of the counting of votes for Maharashtra assembly elections, the Shiv Sena has said the possibility of a post-poll alliance, even with long-time political rival Nationalist Congress Party or NCP, cannot be ruled out.Senior Sena leader and party spokesperson Sanjay Raut told NDTV that "in the interest of Maharashtra, we can go with anyone who supports us, even if we don't agree with their philosophy".The Sena was dumped by the BJP in September after seat-sharing talks between the two parties faltered several times before finally failing. Another long-standing alliance, the coalition between the Congress and the NCP that had ruled Maharashtra for 15 years, also came undone over a similar squabble.As a result, Maharashtra witnessed a four cornered contest between the Congress, the NCP, the Shiv Sena and the BJP, with Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Narvnirman Sena or MNS as a fifth player.Mr Raut's comments come a day after Sena, in an editorial in its mouthpiece, stated, "There is no need to have arguments or bitterness any more".After exit polls predicted that the BJP will get the maximum number of votes in the assembly elections, held on October 15, the editorial said, "Though it is difficult to mend broken hearts, Maharashtra needs stability and peace."Admitting that the BJP had been the Sena's "main opponent in this election", Mr Raut acknowledged that parting ways with the long-time ally had not been easy."Hearts have been broken - we have been with the BJP a long time," he said.But, Mr Raut added, relations with the Sena "have been very deep and will remain so".On reports about a possible post-poll alliance between the NCP and the Sena, he said, "Once you become a big force, all parties will come. This is the politics of power".

Mr Raut reiterated that the Sena will be at the forefront of the next Maharashtra government, saying, "You can be certain that regardless of (political) permutations, (party chief) Uddhav Thackeray will be the Chief Minister".