Mumbai, Dec. 24 -- Maharashtra Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat on Wednesday said that the alliance between the Thackeray brothers was out of "helplessness" since Congress and Sharad Pawar's party were not ready to join hands with them ahead of the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.

Speaking to reporters here, he said the alliance between the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) will not be "beneficial". Taking a dig at the Thackeray brothers, Shirsat highlighted the performance of UBT Sena and MNS in the recently concluded Maharashtra local body elections.

"If these people had real strength, why did they suffer such a crushing defeat in the recent municipal council elections? This all...