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How MNS dislodges Sena from its bastion Dadar

Since its inception in 2006, the MNS has been making inroads into Dadar, a Marathi heartland and a politically sensitive area housing the Shiv Sena Bhavan.

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The Shiv Sena has successfully retained control over the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), but in what is a worrying sign, lost its bastion, Dadar, to the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). Traditionally a Sena stronghold for years, Raj Thackeray’s MNS swept the Dadar-Mahim constituency by winning in all seven wards. The Sena had bagged five wards in the 2007 civic polls.

Since its inception in 2006, the MNS has been making inroads into Dadar, a Marathi heartland and a politically sensitive area housing the Shiv Sena Bhavan.

During the 2009 assembly election, sitting MNS MLA Nitin Sardesai won from the constituency with a thin margin. Three years later, he has helped the party grab the entire constituency with strategic planning.

The MNS stunned one and all by comprehensively sweeping ward numbers 181 to 187 in the civic polls, results of which were announced on Friday. “It has been a victory of the people and all those who believed in Rajsaheb. We were confident about winning six seats right from the beginning, but the people have given us an overwhelming majority. We appreciate that and will work towards retaining their love,” Sardesai told DNA.

Manish Chavan, MNS candidate from ward number 183, turned out to be the giant killer by defeating former mayor and Sena bigwig Milind Vaidya. Virendra Tandel defeated Congress candidate Samadhan Sarvankar, son of Sena rebel Sada Sarvankar, from ward number 182. In one of the major highlights of the civic polls, MNS candidate Sandip Deshpande won with a margin of over 5,000 votes against Shiv Sena’s Pravin Shetye from ward number 185.

The winners attributed their success to the party’s well-planned strategy to gain the confidence of people. “Our candidates were directly facing the people and not other leaders. Sardesai was handling the back office and extended overwhelming support to all seven candidates,” said an MNS candidate on condition of anonymity.

The party not only touched base with people at a personal level, but also used social media effectively. It created a special Dadar-MNS page on Facebook and attracted over 10,000 followers in just one week. Among other reasons for the success of the MNS was its ability to keep rebellion at bay and get everyone to contribute to the party’s success.

The MNS also received overwhelming support from Muslim voters, especially in ward number 182. They preferred to vote for Raj Thackeray’s party than the Congress. The latter also suffered because of rebellion within.

So far, nobody could oust the Sena from Dadar, Mahim and Prabhadevi. For a relatively new party like the MNS to defeat the Sena in its stronghold is a huge achievement. Raj Thackeray’s ambition of becoming king, and not kingmaker, may not have materialised. However, the MNS has gained a lot by winning 28 seats and more importantly, the support of people.

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