MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) is likely to contest 100 seats in the forthcoming assembly elections. If MNS fields their candidates, the assembly elections will become more interesting and this will create problems for Shiv Sena.

According to the sources, many party workers put pressure on party chief to contest election. “If we do not contest the election, it will be very difficult to retain the workers and to maintain the morale of the workers,” said a party worker.

According to MNS insider, the party will concentrate on urban areas such as Mumbai, Thane, Nashik, Pune and Aurangabad, where it has been receiving significant support since its formation.

Though the MNS will not be a part of the Congress-NCP alliance, there are indications that there may an informal alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

Earlier, party leader Raj Thackeray announced that he will boycott the election till the Election Commission agreed to conduct the assembly polls in the state with ballot papers instead of EVM machines. As the party decided to contest election, it will be a significant development.  

Raj had met NCP Chief Sharad Pawar and other opposition leaders with the idea of boycotting the assembly polls claiming that the polls held under EVM machines were managed to favour the BJP.

However, MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar said that the majority of the leaders wanted the party to enter the electoral fray, but they will abide by whatever decision, the party chief takes.