Shiv Sena MPs will sit in opposition benches in Parliament, to skip NDA meet ahead of winter session

The power tussle in Maharashtra between the BJP and Shiv Sena has pushed the Uddhav Thackeray-led party to ask its MPs in the Rajya Sabha to sit in the opposition benches in the Parliament.

Speaking on this development, party leader Sanjay Raut has said that their MPs will sit in the opposition benches in Rajya Sabha. "We have got to know that the seating arrangement of two Shiv Sena MPs has been changed in the Parliament," he said.

Earlier, Shiv Sena walked out of the NDA government post failing of government formation talks with BJP in Maharashtra over the '50-50 formula' and their minister also resigning from the Modi cabinet.

Sena had also said that it will not be attending the NDA meeting ahead of the start of Parliament's winter session.

BJP-Sena locked horns over the '50-50 formula' issue on the government formation as Sena wanted a rotational chief minister's post for 2.5 years each between the two parties, a demand which has not been accepted by the BJP.

The winter session is set to commence from tomorrow (Nov 18) and will be effective till December 13.

In Maharashtra, though a President's rule has been imposed but government formation talks between Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress are still on as the three parties are discussing a common minimum programme to form a non-BJP government, though it (BJP) the single largest party.

Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar, who was scheduled to meet Sonia Gandhi in Delhi on Sunday to hold talks over alliance formation with Sena, has pushed his meeting for Monday.