India, Oct. 22 -- After signs of strain in Bihar, the opposition INDIA bloc appears to be heading for another internal rift, this time in Maharashtra, following the Congress party's refusal to team up with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray.

Senior Congress leader and former Mumbai Congress president Bhai Jagtap declared on Tuesday that the party will not ally with Raj Thackeray's MNS in the upcoming civic elections.

"The Congress will contest independently and not ally with Raj Thackeray. The issue was discussed recently in a meeting chaired by Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala," Jagtap said, though no formal announcement has been made by the party's high command yet.

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