The Shiv Sena on Monday mocked the Opposition for trying to form a grand alliance to keep the Bharatiya Janata Party out of power at the Centre following the Lok Sabha election results. The Shiv Sena said in an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana that the country cannot afford a government that “crawls on many crutches”.

The Shiv Sena said that there are at least five aspirants for the prime minister’s post in the proposed grand alliance. “It looks likely that all the five will be thwarted,” the party added. “[BJP National President] Amit Shah is confident that the party will cross the 300-seat mark on its own. [Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister] Adityanath has assured people of ‘Abki Baar 400 Paar’.”

Most exit polls released on Sunday showed the National Democratic Alliance comfortably securing a majority in the elections.

The Shiv Sena said Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s efforts to bring Opposition parties together was “entertaining”. The party said that if Naidu had tried to project an bonhomie with Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao and YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy, he may have had a stronger case when he went to New Delhi to meet Opposition leaders. “However, Naidu met [Nationalist Congress Party chief] Sharad Pawar twice and gave him a box of mangoes,” the editorial said.

“Naidu himself had a hard time in Andhra Pradesh where YSR Congress leader Jagan Mohan Reddy seems to be putting up a strong contest,” the editorial said. “In Andhra Pradesh’s neighbouring Telangana, compared to Naidu’s TDP and the Congress, the TRS led by K Chandrasekhar Rao is likely to secure a major win.”

“This [efforts at forming a coalition] are happening under the assumption that Narendra Modi cannot secure a majority on May 23,” Saamana said. However, the party said it is likely that the alliance will crumble by the evening of May 23, the date on which Lok Sabha results will be announced.

“So why is Chandrababu running from pillar to post?” the Shiv Sena wondered. “We hope that his excitement lasts till Thursday,” the party added sarcastically.