16 May,2011 06:12 AM IST | | Vivek Sabnis
When the Shiv Sena and BJP are desperately looking for new allies to ensure victory in upcoming PMC polls, the MNS has decided to go all alone to the elections.
Empowering Women: MNS has decided to field 72 women candidates
in the civic polls. File pic
The saffron parties have recently tied up with Ramdas Athawale's Republican Party of India (RPT), apparently keeping the ensuing civic polls in mind. According to MNS chief Raj Thackeray, the party will contest all 144 seats and field women candidates from half the seats.
The decision came following the recommendation of a survey report, compiled by MNS city unit.
MNS city president Prakash Dhore, along with other party members, surveyed all the 144 wards and interacted with the voters and compiled a report, which was submitted to Thackeray a few days ago. Anil Shidore, general secretary, MNS, Pune, said after getting a go ahead from the party chief, the preliminary preparation for election had already started. Shidore, also the director of Maharashtra Samajik Navnirman Academy, said that they had a strong database of the party results in the city as well as in the state. "The city's survey findings are encouraging," he said.
According to Shidore, the MNS won seven seats in the last PMC elections when the party was just four months old. "People, particularly the youths, have a great faith in the party and its leader, Raj Thackeray. After a thorough survey in all PMC wards, we have come to conclusion that MNS should contest all in 144 wards in the city. The report also says that this is the best time to contest polls independently."
According to the survey, the MNS will have lion's share in the new civic house as compared with its present strength of seven corporators. "Our clout will be such that nobody will be able to decide on the post of mayor without our consent," said Shirole. As per the present survey report, MNS shall win at least 35 seats in the city. Many party workers had already started working in their respective wards. "Raj Thackeray has assured us to personally look into the PMC elections along with the party senior leader Rajan Shirodkar," Shirole said.
Women wing of the MNS is also active. "50 per cent women reservation shall help us and we have already tarted working at grassroots level," said Shirode's deputy, Neelam Kulkarni.
Past performance
'u00a0MNS candidate was the second runner-up in the Pune constituency in 2009 Lok Sabha elections, bagging 26,000 votes
' In the last assembly elections, MNS candidate garnered 2.8 lakh votes, around 35 per cent of the total vote share.
' In the PMC election in 2006, MNS candidate managed to get 2.72 lakh votes, which could be called a feat for a fledgling party that was just four months old at that time
