MNS set to take the ‘right turn’

Struggling to make space for himself in the current political scenario, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray plans to go closer to the Hindutva ideology

Struggling to make space for himself in the current political scenario, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray plans to go closer to the Hindutva ideology and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

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According to senior MNS leaders, Thackeray may announce it in his address to party workers on January 23 – the birth anniversary of Shiv Sena founder and MNS chief’s mentor Bal Thackeray. In the same meeting, he is likely to unveil the party’s new flag – a saffron flag with Maratha king Shivaji Maharaj’s rajmudra (seal) on it. The current MNS flag has three colours – saffron, green and blue. The image of the old flag has already been removed from the party’s official Twitter handle, @mnsadhikrut.

In 2006, Thackeray had unveiled the old flag, with the blue representing the Dalits, saffron for Hindutva and green to woo Muslims. He had then said it represented all sections of society.

Thackeray aides say the MNS chief was mulling change as his Marathi Manoos agenda was no longer paying dividends. The party had 13 MLAs in 2009-2014, but won only one Assembly seat in 2014 and 2019. After the Assembly elections, Thackeray had a few meetings with BJP leader Ashish Shelar, who is said to have influenced his decision. The perception in the MNS is that as the Shiv Sena has virtually dumped Hindutva, the time is ripe for the MNS to grab it. Also, the BJP which is cornered in Maharashtra could be looking for partners.

MNS leader Nitin Sardesai said everything would become clear on January 23. “The changes will be in sync with the changing times. It will be good for both the party and state,” said Sardesai.

Apart from the miserable show in the state polls, in the past five years, the MNS lost power in the Nashik Municipal Corporation and its strength in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been reduced to just one.

According to political analyst Surendra Jondhale, it is time Raj Thackeray reviewed the ideology. “The Marathi Manoos issue is no longer relevant today like before. He needs to revamp the whole outfit by inducing new thinking. If he adopts the Hindutva ideology, the MNS will become a dwarf organization hanging on to the BJP. He needs to become creative and focus on issues such as unemployment to emerge as an alternative,” said Jondhale.