Mayoral polls:Jolt to MNS as BJP snaps ties in NMC, backs Sena

In a jolt to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena ahead of state Assembly elections, its ally in Nashik Municipal Corporation, BJP today snapped its ties with the Raj Thackeray-led party for the Mayoral elections slated for Friday and decided to support Shiv Sena.
Announcing its decision to sever the three-year-old alliance, BJP city unit president Laxman Savji said that MNS' overall performance has been dismal.
"The decision to cut ties with MNS was taken in a meeting of local office-bearers and corporators held here today. BJP has decided to support its old partner Shiv Sena in the Mayoral polls slated for September 12," Savji said.

The BJP leader alleged that the Raj Thackeray-led party has proved "ineffective" in delivering promises it had made to people. "MNS also did not cooperate with BJP in elections held for Standing Committee," he said.
In 122-member NMC, MNS has 39 corporators, NCP 20, Shiv Sena 20, Congress 15, BJP 14, Independent 6, Janrajya Party 2, RPI (A) 3, and CPM 3.
Meanwhile, MNS has suffered another setback as two of its sitting corporators, namely Shobhana Shinde and Nilesh Shelar, deciding to switch their loyalty to Shiv Sena.

According to Sena sources, the duo will formally join the party at a function to be held in Mumbai in the presence of party president Uddhav Thackeray.

Any party or alliance will need support of 62 corporators to stake claim to the Mayor's seat in NMC and given the current political scenario this seems an uphill task though various permutations and combinations are emerging.
When asked about how BJP will cobble up the numbers, Savji offered no comments. A MNS leader said that he is not authorised to comment on the future course of action.
The election is necessitated as the term of MNS leader and current Mayor Yatin Wagh is coming to end.
The process for the elections began today with nine candidates from NCP, Congress, MNS, Shiv Sena and some Independents having filed their nominations.

Meanwhile, to avoid defections, MNS sent its 37 corporators to Rajasthan in a bus while NCP has sent its corporators to Lonavala, a hill station near Pune, to prevent poaching.
Nashik has been a stronghold of MNS since it formation, with the party chief Raj Thackeray often citing party's "performance" in NMC as an example.