Maharashtra Polls: MNS eyes revival in Mumbai, bets on strategic candidate selections

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) is contesting 25 out of 36 seats in the Mumbai Assembly elections. This is the party's first election in the city since October 2019.MNS has seen a decline in seats over the past two decades.

The party won 13 seats in 2009 but only secured one seat in the last Assembly election. The party hopes to use this election to rebuild its base and prepare for the upcoming BMC polls.MNS is competing with the Mahayuti alliance (BJP and Shiv Sena) in several seats.

The party has shifted its focus in recent years. Initially, it advocated for the working class of Mumbai. Now, it is campaigning on issues like the use of loudspeakers in mosques.


“We have selected candidates on merit and are fighting in seats where we have strength. There is no pattern. We have not considered who is the rival candidate, if it’s from Shiv Sena, BJP or Congress or NCP,” said MNS functionary Nitin Sardesai.

The MNS is facing the Shiv Sena in 12 seats and the BJP in 10 seats. However, the party has chosen not to field candidates against seven senior BJP leaders. It is also not contesting against two former BJP members who joined the Shiv Sena.

In Sewri, the Mahayuti alliance has not put forward a candidate, giving the MNS a direct contest against the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). In other seats, the MNS's strong campaigning could split the votes between the two main alliances.

This is particularly significant in Worli and Mahim, where Aaditya Thackeray and Amit Thackeray, respectively, face MNS candidates in three-way contests.Political experts believe the MNS could affect the Shiv Sena's performance.

Both parties are appealing to voters with similar Hindutva and Marathi pride messages, potentially splitting the vote.