More voices within MNS ask for revamp

Leaders say ‘positive changes’ needed to improve situation

Mumbai, 01/02/2017: MNS President Raj Thackeray addressing party workers rally at Shivahi Mandir, Dadar ahead of Munciple corporation election.

Photo: Vijay Bate.

Mumbai: A day after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leaders criticised party chief Raj Thackeray during a party meeting, more leaders openly asked Mr. Thackeray to revamp the party structure on Friday.

Senior MNS leaders had criticised Mr. Thackeray at a party meeting on Thursday for not doing “enough” to improve the party’s performance in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls and sometimes even “being idle” when he needed to lead from the front.

Sandip Deshpande, the party’s former group leader in the BMC, posted on a social media website that “positive changes” were required within the MNS. The party’s cinema wing president Ameya Khopkar posted an identical message.

Mr. Deshpande told

The Hindu that party workers who are ready to work on the ground despite any challenge need to be given an agenda. “What I have said is not against the party, but with the sole intention to improve the party’s present situation. We have absolute loyalty and respect towards Raj saheb , hence we are voicing our opinions. We want the party to reach new heights and are committed to it,” he said.

He refused to comment on whether the leadership under Mr. Thackeray had failed to deliver on expectations of party workers. “My job as a party worker is to state facts and I will do it for the party,” he said.

On Thursday, Mr. Thackeray had called a meeting of all senior party leaders at his residence Krishnakunj to discuss the debacle in the civic polls. The party’s second-rung leadership had taken a follow-up from each constituency in Mumbai and the meeting was held to update Mr. Thackeray about the activists’ sentiments and opinions over the poll defeat.

According to party sources, a growing demand within the party is to restructure the entire organisation. At the same time, party workers want Mr. Thackeray to become more active and lead from the front. “If an activist is not given a programme or responsibility, he or she will always look for other options, and this is happening right now. If we want to save the party, immediate action is required,” said another party leader.

The poll defeat had forced the MNS leadership to reach out to the footsoldiers in each of the 36 assembly constituencies in Mumbai to identify reasons behind the party’s heavy loss. The feedback exposed the frustration within the MNS cadre. showed that the activists expected Mr. Thackeray to instil confidence among party workers, especially after the 2014 assembly polls, when the party could not win a single seat in Mumbai.

The activists also questioned the party leadership’s silence about important issues in the city as well as in Mumbai. The meeting also highlighted demands of party workers to look at tactics to attract even the non-Marathi voters.

A party leader said on the condition of anonymity that the party has failed to speak out about sensitive issues such as the farm loan waiver, especially at a time when the entire Opposition has been on a State-wide campaign demanding the same. “There is a need to re-energise and reactivate the cadre. Someone has to take the responsibility to shake up the entire structure,” the leader said.