For better fortunes, MNS now turns its railway engine to left

MNS insiders said the leaders insisted for changing the direction of the symbol following the debilitating defeat in the Assembly polls of 2014. “In 2009, MNS won 13 Assembly seats and 28 seats in BMC polls in 2012 using the symbol with the same direction,” said an MNS insider.

He added that leaders referred to the big losses incurred by the party since 2014. “Prior to the 2014 Assembly polls, the direction of the party’s symbol was changed making the engine running from left to right. Many believe this change damaged the party’s performance in the polls,” explained the leader.

Another leader said many were now hopeful of repeating the party’s 2012 performance in the civic polls, with the engine now reversed from right to left.

In the last few months, six MNS corporators have deserted the party to join the Shiv Sena or the BJP.

Unlike previous polls, the MNS has this time decided not to conduct a written examination for aspirants keen to contest the polls on a party ticket. MNS leaders said Thackeray had asked divisional heads to simply submit the names of interested candidates to him instead.

Meanwhile, in another jolt to the party in its stronghold of Dadar-Mahim area, former corporator Prakash Patankar joined Shiv Sena Sunday. He joined along with over 1,700 workers in the presence of Sena president Uddhav Thackeray at the latter’s residence, Matoshree.