Seating arrangement of Shiv Sena MPs changed in Parliament after break-up with BJP, to sit in opposition now

New Delhi: Days after the Shiv Sena pulled out of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government at the Centre over differences in power-sharing in Maharashtra, the seating arrangement of party MPs in Rajya Sabha, was changed on Saturday, news agency ANI reported. 

Rajya Sabha sources said that Shiv Sena MPs Sanjay Raut and Anil Desai will now sit in the opposition benches during the Winter Session of Parliament, which begins on Monday. Shiv Sena has three MPs in the Upper House of the Parliament. 

Rajya Sabha sources: The seating arrangement of Shiv Sena MPs Sanjay Raut & Anil Desai in the Parliament has changed now. Shiv Sena will sit in opposition now. (File pics) pic.twitter.com/tg6gJtujPv — ANI (@ANI) November 16, 2019

Shiv Sena parted ways with BJP after the two parties could not reach a consensus over power-sharing in Maharashtra after the election results were announced on October 24. The two parties fought the assembly polls together and won a majority.

BJP emerged as the single-largest party with 105 seats and Sena secured the second position with 56 seats. After the results were announced, Shiv Sena insisted on forming a government under 50:50 formula and the CM's post for two-and-a-half-years. The BJP, however, maintained that no such pre-poll alliance was made between the two parties. After days of difference with BJP, the Sena decided to quit the alliance and party leader Arvind Sawant, the only minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi cabinet, resigned from his post. 

The Shiv Sena is now engaged in parleys with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress to form a non-BJP government in the state. 

Maharashtra is currently under Presiden't Rule. 

(With ANI inputs)