Mumbai, Dec 29 (IANS) Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray on Monday formally kickstarted the party’s campaign for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections by announcing its first candidate.

Senior MNS leader and party spokesperson Yashwant Killedar has been handed the ‘AB form’ to contest from the Dadar (Shivaji Park) area, considered one of the party’s key strongholds. The AB form certifies a candidate as the authorised nominee of a political party.

The announcement comes amid heightened political activity in Mumbai, with major parties in the process of finalising seat-sharing arrangements for the civic polls. By issuing the AB form, the MNS leadership has indicated that the party is preparing to intensify its ground-level mobilisation in traditional Marathi-dominated pockets of the city.

Raj Thackeray’s decision follows the recent announcement of an alliance between the MNS and the Shiv Sena (UBT) for the BMC elections, a move aimed at consolidating Marathi votes in Mumbai. Killedar, a long-time MNS functionary, has been active in the Dadar-Mahim belt for several years and is considered a familiar face among local party workers.

Party sources said the early declaration of a candidate is intended to provide organisational clarity and allow workers to begin campaign activities well in advance. The Shivaji Park–Dadar region is regarded as the ideological cradle of both the undivided Shiv Sena and the MNS, and the contest in the area is expected to be keenly fought.

The seat is likely to witness a multi-cornered contest involving the MNS, Shiv Sena (UBT) and candidates backed by the Mahayuti alliance.

Reacting to his nomination, Killedar expressed confidence and said the local electorate had consistently supported Raj Thackeray’s vision. He said the focus would be on addressing civic infrastructure issues while safeguarding the cultural identity of the area.

With its first candidate announced, the MNS is expected to unveil its full list for the 227-member civic body in phases over the coming days. Political observers believe the party could play a decisive role in several wards by influencing vote shares, particularly in Marathi-speaking localities.

Meanwhile, senior MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar said the upcoming BMC elections were a battle for the “existence” of the Marathi community and alleged attempts to weaken Maharashtra’s hold over Mumbai.

Speaking to reporters, Nandgaonkar said that while elections are a recurring democratic exercise, the BMC polls assume larger significance for the state and the Marathi people. He alleged that there was a conspiracy to detach Mumbai from Maharashtra, calling it a matter of grave concern.

He urged voters to foil what he described as such designs and asserted that Mumbai must remain under the leadership of the ‘Marathi manoos’. He also pointed out that the MNS is contesting an alliance election after nearly two decades.

Calling for strict adherence to “alliance dharma”, Nandgaonkar asked party workers to extend full cooperation to candidates of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), including during the filing of nomination papers.

“Raj Thackeray has conveyed a clear message to the organisation to support every candidate of the alliance. All workers must participate actively to retain power in Mumbai,” he said.

On the distribution of party tickets, Nandgaonkar said AB forms were being issued from Rajgad, the MNS headquarters. He declined to specify the number of seats the party would contest, saying clarity would emerge once the nomination process is completed.

Acknowledging the possibility of dissatisfaction among workers due to seat-sharing, he said such situations arise in every alliance. However, he appealed to party members to remain united, stating that the alliance led by Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray would continue to fight future political battles together.

–IANS

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