India, Aug. 22 -- After the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) failed the first test of their alliance in the BEST Employees Credit Society poll, followed by the immediate visit of MNS chief Raj Thackeray to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis' residence on Thursday, question marks have been raised on whether the Thackeray cousins' alliance for the local body elections will still come through. Both parties, however, have downplayed the BEST poll defeat, while the Sena (UBT) has chosen to not attach much significance to the Raj-Fadnavis meeting.

The two parties had jointly sponsored a panel for the BEST credit society elections but did not win even one seat out of 21. Sena (UBT) leaders, however, are still optimistic about ...