Written by: Express News Service
2 min readMumbaiApr 16, 2010 02:22 AM IST
First published on: Apr 16, 2010 at 02:22 AM IST
For the first time since it began contesting elections,Raj Thackeray’s MNS has found itself in a position where it has to choose between the Shiv Sena-BJP and the Congress-NCP.
To make sure they don’t yield to pressure or bargaining,the MNS has arranged the “disappearance” of six leaders who hold the key to power in the Ambernath municipal council.
In a House of 50,the previously ruling Sena-BJP won 17 seats,nine short of the halfway mark. The Congress won three and the NCP nine,with Independents and others emerging the second largest group with 15 seats.
In the polls,the MNS had targeted both the Sena-BJP and the Congress-NCP. Now the six have to make a choice by May 10 when the president of the council will be elected. Supporting the Congress would invite allegations of prior agreement to dislodge the Sena,said party sources.
Party sources said the six elected members have been asked to
stay away and not disclose their whereabouts.
“We have not been approached directly by any party yet. We have been sent feelers but are still to take a call,” said Manoj Chavan,in charge of the party in Thane district and overseeing the elections for the Ambernath and Badlapur civic bodies. The MNS secured three seats in Badlapur.
“We have a good penetration here since Raj Thackeray was arrested in Kalyan two years ago. We have gained out of that as we have kept in touch with locals. There is also a strong Marathi factor here,” said Chavan.
The MNS had thrived on a strategy to target specific pockets and contest a limited number of seats.
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