Vasant More quits MNS; on way to Sharad Pawar-led NCP?

Pune: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Vasant More, who is keen to contest the Lok Sabha election, resigned from the party on Tuesday. The three-time PMC corporator is known to have influence in Katraj, the southern part of the city.

Known to be a firebrand MNS leader in the city, More served as the city unit president. However, after the party replaced him with Sainath Babar, More was upset.

Talks about More’s exit from the party gained momentum last month when he met Nationalist Congress Party (SCP) president Sharad Pawar in Pune when Supriya Sule was also present. More had then denied discussing politics with the Pawar senior, but there are speculations about former Katraj corporator switching to NCP (SCP).

If More joins the NCP (SCP), it will benefit Sule in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls as parts of Katraj comes under the Khadakwasla assembly segment which falls under the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency. Despite attempts, NCP (SCP) leaders refused to react on More’s possible entry into the party.

More’s letter to MNS president Raj Thackeray on Tuesday states, “I am resigning as a primary member and all other positions in the party from immediate effect. I did not have any dispute and anger against Raj Thackeray or Amit Thackeray, but Pune city’s local leadership has been repeatedly cornering me. Considering the local situation, I have decided to resign from the party.”

More said he will decide his next political move in two days.

“I had raised concerns over various issues with senior leaders, but no one took note of it. Now that I have resigned, all leaders are calling me,” More said, accusing the local unit of the party of sidelining his supporters.

More was among the few leaders to go with Raj Thackeray when the latter chose to rebel against Shiv Sena in 2005-06. He was also known to be Thackeray’s confidante in Pune.

“I had joined Raj Thackeray immediately after he resigned from the Shiv Sena and formed the MNS. As local leaders are disturbing me, I have decided to quit the party,” More said in the letter.

According to More, he had expressed the desire to contest the Lok Sabha election from MNS in Pune, but the city’s local unit submitted the report to party leadership that MNS should not contest the Lok Sabha election as it may not bring desired results.

“It was wrong to give that feedback. If we do not contest the elections, how would our party grow?” More said in a press conference.