The Shiv Sena today expressed astonishment and scepticism over the newly formed partnership between the Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress. The two age-old arch-rivals came together in Gondia in Maharashtra to head the Zilla Parishad, after the BJP lost the ZP elections last week. The Shiv Sena in its mouthpiece 'Saamana' said, it is surprising that BJP distanced itself from its friend of 25 years and established a new partnership with the traditional rival. The editorial said, it is all the more surprising that BJP no longer finds Congress a corrupt party and the Congress no longer considers BJP a communal party. This is disturbing, it said.<br/><br/>The editorial adds that in the first place, losing elections in the region which voted BJP to power in Assembly elections, should ring the alarm bells. The party needs to mull over this defeat. The editorial said one can give the BJP the benefit of doubt that it wanted to keep the NCP away in Gondia ZP, but this cannot be a criterion for partnership. The editorial has further said that the BJP is maligning the waters by coming together with the party it has always criticised.