Shiv Sena says they will contest Maharashtra assembly polls alone; won't forge alliance with MNS

After the Bharatiya Janata Party parted ways from the Shiv Sena, breaking the 25-year-old alliance, a few reports suggested that the Thackeray brothers – MNS chief Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackery would come together to contest the Maharashtra assembly polls. However, the Shiv Sena has rejected all such speculations.

Earlier in the day, reports suggested that the two cousins were in touch. Since the ideology and the idol (Balasaheb Thackeray) of both Uddhav and Raj are same and they both have been fighting on the issue of 'Marathi Asmita' (identity), leaders of both the parties were trying to bring them together.

However, a senior Sena leader said, “By suggesting that a Sena-MNS alliance may take place, the media is creating a misconception. Sena is going to contest the polls on its own with full spirit.”

Meanwhile, the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on Thursday released its first list of 153 candidates for the Maharashtra assembly polls.

In the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, the Shiv Sena had won 18 seats, while MNS, which had contested 11 seats, could not even open their account. 

Earlier, when the Mahayuti (grand alliance) was intact, alliance leaders had tried to bring Raj and Uddhav closer. Some leaders had also requested Raj to join the grand alliance.

However, after the Sena-BJP and Congress-NCP breakup, political equations in the state are changing rapidly.