The decision by Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) to contest the upcoming civic polls in Maharashtra independently is a result of the party’s realisation that parting ways with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and aligning with the Congress in 2019 was a mistake, state minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said on Saturday.

Amid a blame game over the Maha Vikas Aghadi's defeat in the state assembly elections, key constituent Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) announced earlier in the day that it would fight the local elections solo.