The Shiv Sena, the BJP's oldest ally, has already declared that it will sever ties and go it alone in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The Akali Dal has cautioned the BJP against riding roughshod over the interests of its allies and urged Modi's party to follow Atal Bihari Vajpayee-like "alliance dharma". The BJP alone had won 282 seats riding on the Modi wave in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, comfortably beating the halfway mark of 272. Now, the BJP's strength in the Lok Sabha has come down to 275 after the defeat in successive by-elections. "It is quite apparent that after the next Lok Sabha polls, no single party will have an absolute majority," Gujral said.

Source: The Telegraph February 08, 2018 21:33 UTC