Ready for talks with Shiv Sena: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday underscored the importance of mutual efforts to sustain the straining Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Shiv Sena alliance in the state.

"We are not against BJP-Shiv Sena alliance and neither do we believe that our alliance will break, but effort has to be from both ways. We are ready for talks with Shiv Sena," Fadnavis said.

Earlier today, Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray launched an attack on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, saying that the latter is losing in his own state and is coming to campaign in Maharashtra.

"Yogi Adityanath is losing in his own state and he is coming to campaign here (Maharashtra). Janta ne Yogi ji ki masti utaardi hai," Thackeray said while addressing a press conference here.

Meanwhile, in the wake of the BJP's defeat in several by-elections, party spokesperson Sambit Patra called on the Congress to introspect rather than celebrate the former's defeat.

"Today the Congress has become a cheer leader for other parties, they are celebrating their wins, when they are far-behind with their own politics. They should introspect more in this case," said Patra.

The BJP won in Maharashtra's Palghar Lok Sabha constituency, defeating the Shiv Sena by 29572 votes, while it lost in the Bhandara-Gondiya Lok Sabha constituency to the Nationalist Congress Party by a margin of over 27,000 votes.

Also, Samajwadi Party's Naimul Hasan won Uttar Pradesh's Noorpur assembly bypoll, while the Rashtriya Lok Dal emerged victorious in the Kairana Lok Sabha constituency.

In Bihar's Jokihat, the Rashtriya Janata Dal's Shahnawaz Alam emerged victorious by a margin of more than 40,000 votes over JD(U)'s Murshid Alam.