The News Minute| September 25, 2014| 7.00 pm ISTAfter days of uncertainty, its finally curtains down for the twenty five year grand alliance between the BJP and Shiv Sena in Maharashtra. The BJP in a press meet in Mumbai formally announced that the alliance was being broken, The BJP leaders said that breaking the alliance was painful, and in spite of trying hard to save the alliance with the Sena, it was just impossible. "We are friends, but have decided to go separate ways," said BJP.In the press meet, BJP leaders claimed that the party had given many proposals to the Sena, but the Sena was unwilling to adjust.Maharashtra BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said that the BJP will fight with smaller allies including SSP, RSP and talks are on with the RIPA and the decision to part with Sena was taken with a heavy heart.Ever since the alliance was formed in 1989, the seat sharing formula has largely remained the same. Sena and BJP have contested 171 and 117 seats, respectively, to the 288-member state assembly. In 2009 the numbers were tweaked a bit, Shiv Sena contested 169 and BJP contested 119 seats. This time the BJP wanted to contest in at least 15 more seats, the Sena rejected this formula.The last date for filing nominations for the Maharashtra polls is September 27. Despite repeated chants by both sides that the Grand Alliance would remain intact, there was no agreement on two crucial issues - the seat-sharing figures and the chief ministerial candidate. Exasperated smaller parties on Wednesday accused both the BJP and the Shiv Sena of betrayal, back-stabbing, using them as bargaining tools, and threatened to quit the alliance.However, they were mollified by Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray and BJP state president Devendra Fadnavis, who even promised them a larger share of the seats. But on Thursday too, the two parties were unable to reach at any consensus. The Shiv Sena believes that this is Uddhav Thackeray's one shot at becoming the Chief Minister of the state.