The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has maintained a silence on the upcoming assembly elections. But, now reports have surfaced saying that MNS is hoping to field dropouts from BJP, Shiv Sena as their candidates.
According to DNA, the party is delaying the announcement of its poll plans as it is waiting for the Sena and BJP to arrive at a final decision on their alliance. Senior sources from the party told the leading daily that there are at least 30-40 Sena and BJP aspirants in touch with MNS. In the event of Sena- BJP alliance happening the Sena will have to be content with lesser seats and the aspirants will jump ship and join the MNS.
A senior MNS functionary told the DNA, "Both the parties have wasted the last four years in bickering. Hence, both of them have prepared to fight on all seats in order to go solo. There are leaders who have attempted to build their constituencies, and they don't want their efforts to go waste."
MNS Chief Raj Thackeray chose not to field any candidates in Lok Sabha elections. Thackeray had carried out a vigorous campaign against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena during the Lok Sabha elections. He openly supported the Congress and the NCP candidates in the state. After that, there was speculation that MNS might form an alliance with Congress and NCP. But both these parties do not include MNS into their alliance and announced to contest 125 seats each in assembly elections.
