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INTRODUCTION

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (Marathi:

महाराषट नविनमण सेना

, English translation:Maharashtra Renaissance Army) is a far-right regional political party operating inMaharashtra, India. It was founded on the March 9, 2006 in Mumbai after splitting of the parent party Shiv Sena. Its president and founder is Raj Thackeray.The party was founded by Raj Thackeray, nephew of Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray. RajThackeray resigned from his uncle's party in January 2006 and announced his intention tostart a new political party. The reason given by him for breaking away from the Shiv Senawas that the latter was "run by petty clerks" because of which it had "fallen from its former glory". Also Mr. Thackeray had a clear motive of building a political awareness for thedevelopment related issues of the state and giving them a centre stage in national politics.The agenda is getting an immense support and sympathies of the state youth.At the time of the party's foundation, Raj Thackeray stated that he does not want to havehostilities with his uncle who "was, is and always will be (his) mentor".Although the MNS is a break-away group from the Shiv Sena, the party is still based onHindutva and Bhumiputra ideologies. When unveiling the party in an assembly at ShivajiPark he said, that everyone is anxious to see what will happen to Hindutva. When unveiling,he also said, "I shall elaborate on the party's stance on issues like Hindutva, its agenda for development of Maharashtra and the significance of the party flag colours at the March 19 public meeting."Raj Thackeray considers himself an Indian nationalist (not just a regionalist) and claims thatthe Congress is two-faced.

I started MNS with a dream: Raj Thackery

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray has put forward an agenda for development of Maharashtra, with an eye on assembly polls in the state later this year.'I started MNS with a dream of development of Maharashtra. I feel that the world shouldenvy the state for its development and I have prepared blueprint for that,' Raj said.People have ridiculed the idea of blueprint and asked me where it is. It is ready and with meand covers seven developmental issues of the state, Raj said, in an article in leading Marathinewspaper

Loksatta

on Sunday.Rubbishing Shiv Sena criticism that MNS divided Marathi votes, Raj said: "If this is indeedthe case, then why did Marathi people not vote for the Sena in 2004 polls when MNS did notexist."It was only after a survey, which showed that people would support the party on developmentissues, that he established the MNS, he said.With some experts, Raj has set up Maharashtra Navnirman Academy at Pune to researchvarious topics of the state including economy, health, education and infrastructure. Theacademy is busy in designing various plans for the states development, he said.Addressing the grave issue of water scarcity in rural Maharashtra, Raj said politicians havemade populist announcements like free power, jobs, low cost food but they could not managenatural resource like water.In Marathwada region, water level has gone down to 700 feet and experts fear that the regioncould become a desert in 15 to 20 years, he said.Despite this warning, the state government has permitted six beer manufacturing projects atAurangabad and mineral water projects at Latur and Beed, he said.Emphasising on poor infrastructure in the cities, Raj said politicians who think about potholes and tenders to re-build the roads can do no good to the state.On his pet topic of outsiders coming to Mumbai Raj said planning of the city had collapsedand illegal slums were proliferating. There is no control over people coming from other statesto Mumbai and Maharashtra. While politicians are busy in giving free housing to illegalslums dwellers, our state police have no houses to stay.

Party Ideology

Party ideology is based on secularism, and it reflects in its flag. Its flag has a saffron field,which is probably derived from the saffron flag of Shiv Sena, but with addition of blue andgreen stripes along the top and bottom edges, respectively. The blue is the colour of theDalits while including Green in the flag is seen as an attempt to woo the Muslims towards the party

The stripes are separated from the field by white fimbriations. The political overtones are tooobvious to be missed. Dalits and Muslims are part of the MNS agenda, they are welcome.Raj’s first independent public rally slated for March 19 to kick-start the MNS and outline itsideology is billed as the next big thing at the Shivaji Park ground.Unlike Shiv Sena it’s not ahardcore hindutva based party.Core ideology is focused on Maharashtra and its people & favors’ especially towards “Son of Soil”. The Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) today promised it wouldensure 100 per cent jobs in local industries to Marathi people.“We will ensure 100 per cent jobs to sons of soil,” Raj said, releasing his party's manifestofor the October 13 Assembly elections, at his central Mumbai residence. The manifesto,called ‘vachaknama’, also speaks of strictly implementing existing norms to deport thosestaying illegally in the state and action against illegal constructions. Believes in protectingthe culture and language (Marathi) of Maharashtra.