PTI

Pune, Jul 22: Broadly hinting at the imminent end of its long-standing alliance with the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, the BJP on Saturday asked its workers to be "mentally prepared" to fight the next assembly elections on their own.

"Before the saffron alliance came into existence in Maharashtra some two decades ago, the BJP was in a stronger position than the Shiv Sena in state politics," state BJP president Nitin Gadkari told a meeting of party office- bearers from Mumbai, Konkan region and western Maharashtra.

Gadkari told the party workers they should be "mentally prepared" to contest the next elections in the state on their own and the BJP would contest all 288 seats in the assembly.

The relationship between the two "yuti (alliance) partners" has become sour due to the Sena's support to UPA presidential candidate Pratibha Patil.

Gadkari also announced that the BJP would launch a state-wide "Quit Maharashtra" protest against the Congress-NCP government on August 9, the day when the "Quit India" movement was initiated by Indians against the country's former British rulers.