The steep hike in the cost of train travel for passengers has activated a confrontation for the government with not just the Opposition but a key ally.

"The Railways Minister has run a train over the public by increasing fares," said Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, on the 14% hike in passenger fares, in a stinging editorial in his party's paper.

He said a similar move by the Congress, which was voted out in a stunning defeat in last month's national election, would have been excoriated by the BJP, which anchors the new coalition government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"Had this happened in the Congress regime, they (the BJP)  would have said that the Congress should be shot with a cannon," said Thackeray.