In a major setback to the party ahead of the municipal corporation elections, two senior leaders of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) abruptly called it quits. Both the senior leaders have tendered in their resignation in the last two days. Hence, Raj Thackeray has selected a new stone mason in Dombivali in just 24 hours while the discussion is going on that the MNS stronghold of Kalyan-Dombivali has been breached due to this.
Former city president of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena in Dombivali and state vice president Rajesh Kadam joined Shiv Sena in the presence of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Guardian Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday evening, February 1.
Next day, that is, on Tuesday, February 2, Mandar Halbe, group leader in Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) left party and joined BJP in the presence of BJP's state president Chandrakant Patil in Mumbai. The development is said to be a major setback for MNS because in entire state, it had the highest 11 corporators in KDMC and one MLA from region.
After Rajesh Kadam's exist, MNS chief Raj Thackeray appointed Manoj Gharat as Dombivli city president on Tuesday, February 2.
All these office bearers were from the rural constituency of Raju Patil, the only MLA of MNS. Both these leaders played an important role in increasing the MNS base in Kalyan-Dombivali.
Recognizing the seriousness of this, Raj Thackeray has also taken an immediate decision and elected a new mayor. Looking at two senior leaders exit from the party along with their supporters, MNS MLA Pramod Patil held a meeting of all local leaders. He met to MNS chief Raj Thackeray in Mumbai to discuss the developments yesterday.
The defection of two leaders with their supporters from party will weaken MNS and it will affect party's performance in upcoming KDMC which is likely to be announced anytime.