MUMBAI: A BJP worker has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking to stop the “unholy alliance” between the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress from staking claim to form the next government in Maharashtra.

The petitioner, Surendra Singh, argues that the alliance between the three parties will “dilute the mandate” given by the people and is against the constitutional ethos. The petition asks whether it is acceptable under constitutional mandate for parties that fought against each other to form the government together after the polls.

“The “unholy alliance” would virtually defeat the mandate of the public that cast their votes based on the manifesto, ideology, promises, and propaganda of each of these pre-poll alliances and thus the same should not be allowed, is the contention of the petitioner,” the petition read.

The Sena had won the election, held on October 21, in alliance with the BJP. However, the alliance broke down after the polls on the issue of equal sharing of power. Later, the Sena began talking to the NCP and Congress — both parties had fought the election against it — over government formation.

The petition also asks the court to reconsider the meaning of the phrase “largest party or group” given the situation where the Sena, NCP and the Congress — none of the parties are the single-largest parties — are planning to form the government.

Maharashtra has been under President’s Rule after no party could prove their majority.