Mumbai, May 31: Shortly after the results of Maharashtra bypolls, in Palghar and Bhandara-Gondia constituencies were announced, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray seemed miffed with its coalition partner – Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). While speculation were rife that Sena may finally break its 25-year-old alliance with the BJP, party supremo Uddhav Thackeray refrained from making any such announcement. He, however, hinted at parting ways with the BJP in 2019.

Thackeray also launched a tirade against the Election Commission, accusing the statutory body of being hand-in-glove with the ruling BJP.

"Seeing the corruption in Election Commission, I would suggest that even election commissioners should not be appointed, but elected," Uddhav said.

Signalling a non-NDA approach of Shiv Sena in 2019, "The BJP has no respect left for its partners. But not only its allies, the supporters of BJP are disillusioned with the party. It seems that they have lost the support of people in the last 4 years," he added.

In the Palghar constituency bypoll result, on Thursday, BJP candidate Rajendra Gavit defeated Shiv Sena candidate Shriniwas Wang by a margin of 29572 votes.

However, the party faced a string of setbacks in elsewhere across the nation, including Maharahstra's Bhandara-Gondia, where NCP wrested the seat from BJP.

The biggest jolt to the party came in Uttar Pradesh, where it lost the communally-sensitive seat of Kairana, along with the assembly bypoll in Nurpur. "Yogi Adityanath is losing in his own state and he is coming to campaign here (Maharashtra). The voters have shown him his place," Thackeray said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 31, 2018 05:33 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).