MUMBAI, Oct. 29 -- Amit Shah's recent remark that the BJP won power on its own in 2014 and was not dependent on the "crutches" of any partners has upset the party's allies. Although they did not react to the home minister's remarks immediately, Shiv Sena and NCP leaders said they had got the signal that the BJP would play hardball in the seat-sharing talks, which could lead to the allies contesting separately in several local body elections. Shah made the remarks at the foundation-stone-laying ceremony of the party's new Mumbai office on Monday. He said that since 2014, the BJP had reached the top position in terms of strength in elective politics from fourth place 10 years ago. Leaders from the two allies were taken by surprise, as Shah's remarks had come just a few days ahead of the code of conduct for the first phase of the local body polls. A Sena leader said that the BJP had unilaterally announced that it would go solo in most of the local bodies when the Sena wanted to fight the polls as an alliance. "Such remarks coming from a top leader like Shah is an attempt to keep us under pressure during the seat-sharing negotiations," he said. "The BJP perhaps wants the two Shiv Senas to fight against each other so that they benefit from the split in Marathi votes." According to another Sena leader, Shah's remarks have disturbed the party. "We were under the impression that Shinde and Shah shared a cordial relationship," he said. "Ever since Fadnavis became CM, our leader has been cornered in many ways: by scrapping schemes launched by him, inequitable distribution of funds, appointments on statutory corporations and so on. There is also interference in the departments held by the Shiv Sena." The tension between the BJP and Sena has reportedly increased after the BJP hinted about contesting the Thane, Pune, Nagpur and Kalyan-Dombivli polls separately. The tussle between the two in cities like Thane has increased over the last few months, as both claim to have strength on the ground. The Opposition was quick to grab the opportunity to take a dig at both the BJP and its alliance partners. "It's not just in Maharashtra-in states like Bihar as well as at the national level, the BJP is ruling with the help of other parties," said Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut. "Aren't the two allies in Maharashtra crutches? The BJP is dumping its two allies, as their utility has ended. If Shinde and Ajit Pawar are real Marathas and have even a bit of self-respect left in them, they should walk out of the government." NCP insiders, however, claimed that they shared a very comfortable relationship with the BJP, and Shah's remarks were meant more for the Shiv Sena. The Sena, meanwhile, sought to underplay them. "The CM has already clarified that the remarks were not against the ruling partners but for the opposition," said Shiv Sena spokesperson Krishna Hegde. "The success in the Lok Sabha and assembly elections was because of the collective efforts of the three parties." The BJP hastened to explain away Shah's remarks. "What Amitbhai said has been misconstrued-he did not mean that we would fight the local body polls separately," said Chandrashekhar Bawankule. "All the three parties are putting in efforts to spread their base and there is nothing wrong with that."...