Maharashtra Navnirman Sena

 

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (Marathi: महाराष्ट्र नवनिर्माण सेना, English: Maharashtra New Beginning Army) is a regional political party operative in Maharashtra, India. It was founded on the 9th of March 2006 in Mumbai.Founder

The party was founded by Raj Thackeray, nephew of Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray. Raj broke away from his uncle’s party in January 2006 and announced his intention to start a new political party. The reason given by him for breaking away from the Shiv Sena was that the latter was “run by petty clerks” because of which it had “fallen from its former glory”.

Foundation Ceremony

Raj paid a visit to the famed Siddhivinayak Temple on the morning of 9th March. That evening he held a meeting at the Y. B Chavan Centre, where he announced the name of his party and unfurled its blue, saffron and green coloured flag. The meeting was attended by a large number of Raj’s supporters, other breakaway Shiv Sainiks and mediapersons.

Relations with the Sena

Raj has stated that he does not want to have hostilities with his uncle who “was, is and always will be {his} mentor”. However with Sena insiders claiming that more Sainiks wanted to break away from Balasaheb’s “ailing” party, tensions between Raj and his uncle seem inevitable.

Policies

Raj has said he will reveal more about his parties policies in the coming weeks. He has already said that his party’s motto will be I am of Maharashtra, Maharashtra is mine. Critics say this reflects the Thackeray family’s regionalistic attitude and their communal Hindutva ideology. Many differ as Raj has from start declared his party MNS to be a secular political party which accepts anyone and everyone who says Maharashtra belongs to them and they belong to Maharashtra. The secular reference is ironic in largely since Raj Thackeray has always been viewed as a long time hardliner in the Shiv Sena, relative to his cousin and current working president Udhav Thackeray.

Symbol:

The State Election Commission has allotted three different election symbols for the 222 MONS candidates who are contesting in the BMC polls to be held from February 1.

While 215 candidates in the city have been given the railway engine as their election symbol, the seven remaining candidates have been allotted other symbols. Candidates from Mulund will have to contest with the cup and saucer as their symbol, while candidates contesting from the Eastern suburbs of Ramabainagar, Kamrajnagar and Subhashnagar have received the slate as their election symbol.

Spokeperson
Shrish Parkar 982189775
Nitin Sardesai 9820063941
Rajendra Lad Leader of House in BMC 9821632347
 

Office of MNS 011 2433699/ 3799/3599