MNS's path forward: Raj to decide on alliances after consulting party leaders

The Raj Thackerayled Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MNS is gearing up for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections with renewed energy The political arena in Maharashtra is dominated by established parties like the Shiv Sena Bharatiya Janata Party BJP Congress and Nationalist Congress Party NCP Competing against these wellentrenched parties requires the MNS to boost its organisational strength and voter outreach significantlyRaj Thackeray who had declared support for the BJPled NDA during the Lok Sabha elections has asked his party workers to start preparing for the Maharashtra assembly elections This comes after Raj Thackeray had campaigned for the NDA though his party had not fielded candidates in the Lok Sabha electionsSo ahead of the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections the MNS is focusing on revitalising its grassroots organisation This includes meeting party workers and Vidhan Sabha heads listening to constituent concerns and presenting a clear actionable vision for the futureWhat MNS leaders have to sayMNS leader Sandeep Deshpande said MNS chief Raj Thackeray has appointed several party leaders to travel across Maharashtra to meet grassroots workers and Vidhan Sabha heads The purpose is to gather information on the ground reality and identify potential candidates Once all this data is collected we will present it to Raj ThackerayMNS leader Avinash Jadhav said party leaders are currently travelling across the state to gather data for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly electionsOur party leaders are currently visiting 35 assembly constituencies We have formed 22 teams each consisting of three to four members to visit different constituencies added Avinash Jadhav the district president of Thane and Palghar for MNSThe MNS known for its staunch regional and linguistic pride aims to reestablish its political relevance and make significant inroads into the statersquos legislative landscapeRather than addressing press conferences we are currently assessing the ground reality which will help us for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections Neither Mahayuti nor Maha Vikas Aghadi has an upper hand currently There are many changes in the state political arena and in voting patterns Therefore we are visiting different areas of the state to understand the ground reality said Avinash JadhavWhen asked if MNS will ally with Mahayuti or NDA Avinash Jadhav said Every decision on alliances will be taken by Raj Thackeray at the right time If Raj Saheb tells us to contest solo or join an alliance we will follow his final decisionEchoing similar sentiments Sandeep Deshpande said In the coming days Raj Thackeray will decide on alliances After speaking with party workers and leaders the MNS chief will make a decision on thisWhat experts have to sayA senior political journalist said MNS has faced electoral setbacks in recent years which has kind of diminished its influence Despite its ambitious plans the MNS faces several challenges The party needs to overcome its past electoral setbacks and rebuild trust among the voters Rebuilding voter trust and confidence is a significant challenge as the party needs to demonstrate a strong viable alternative to the existing political options he saidWhile the MNSs core support base is built on Marathi pride the party needs to broaden its appeal to other demographic groups This involves addressing a wider range of issues beyond regional and linguistic identity to attract a diverse electorate he addedPolitical analyst Abhay Deshpande said the first decision they will have to make is whether they will contest the Maharashtra assembly elections alone or with Mahayuti and NDAThe MNS did not contest the Lok Sabha elections and supported Mahayuti and NDA so it looks like they might be a part of Mahayuti However seat sharing will not be easy and MNS might have to sacrifice its traditional seats like Nashik and South Mumbai Another crucial issue is whether MNSs traditional Marathi voters will vote for BJP This uncertainty is why the BJP is also in two minds about MNS Therefore there may not be a major change in voting patterns if MNS joins Mahayuti he saidThey might also have to decide whether to follow their traditional Marathi politics or shift to Hindutva politics for a better longterm relationship with the BJP MNS will need to ensure their original Marathi voters dont shift to BJP Additionally MNS will have to maintain a consistent stance to be taken seriously by voters Abhay Deshpande saidThe MNS faces significant challenges as it prepares for the Maharashtra Assembly elections However with a strategic focus on strengthening its grassroots organisation and forming strategic alliances the MNS is determined to make a substantial impact The partys success will depend on its ability to overcome past setbacks maintain internal cohesion and broaden its appeal to a diverse voter base As the elections approach the MNSs efforts to navigate these challenges and implement its plans will be crucial in shaping its future in Maharashtras political landscape