Shiv Sena would not ally with BJP, to go alone in 2019 Lok Sabha

Mumbai: In a major setback to the saffron party, the Shiv Sena on Tuesday decided to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections independent of its ally, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

The Shiv Sena National Executive resolved to fight the next round of state and central elections separately, party's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said here.

This is the second time in four years that the Shiv Sena has decided to go it alone.

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In the October 2014 assembly elections, the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance had broken down and both parties fought the elections independently. Later, the BJP emerged as the single largest party while the Shiv Sena sat as the main opposition party for a month, and then joined the ruling BJP in December that year.

The Sena's National Executive meeting is being held at the SVP Sports Complex, Worli.