AFTER over a month of pretence at negotiations over seat-sharing, both the major alliances in Maharashtra finally announced their split on September 25. The Shiv Sena-BJP communal combine which was formed in 1989, broke up after 25 years; and the Congress-NCP alliance which was formed in 1999, split after 15 years. With all these four parties now contesting the state assembly polls separately, it is a completely new situation in Maharashtra today. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) is contesting most of the seats; and so also is the BSP.