Mumbai, Oct 20 (IANS) On the auspicious occasion of Vijayadashami, rival factions Shiv Sena(UBT) and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena are holding their respective rallies in Mumbai on Tuesday. This event is set to witness a barrage of political accusations and counter-accusations.
The Uddhav Sena has built up momentum for the gathering by releasing two to three teasers on social media. The annual event, a cornerstone of Maharashtrian politics originally initiated by Balasaheb Thackeray, has transformed into a fierce battle of legacy, political survival, and strength-assertion following the historic split in the party.
Ever since the split in the Shiv Sena, the Dussehra rallies of both parties have transcended into mere shows of strength, turning into platforms to claim the political legacy of Balasaheb Thackeray. This year’s rallies remain crucial in terms of organisational strength, grip over party cadres, and the future political roadmap.
During the gathering at the Nesco Center in Goregaon, Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief leader Eknath Shinde is expected to counter criticism from the Thackeray faction while highlighting the achievements of the Mahayuti government. In light of severe drought conditions across the state, he has urged party workers to visit the homes of drought victims to tie auspicious torans of aid rather than travelling to Mumbai for the Dussehra rally.
The Uddhav Sena’s Dussehra rally will take place at Shivaji Park. Uddhav Thackeray is likely to target the state and central governments over several issues, including the BJP, SIR, alleged irregularities in voter lists, the law and order situation following the firing incident involving actor Tiger Shroff, and police crackdowns on protesting students.
While Thackeray’s camp remains aligned with the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), Shinde’s faction shares power within the state government. Both camps claim the authentic ideological legacy of Balasaheb Thackeray, setting the stage for a fiery exchange of political rhetoric. The political atmosphere across Mumbai has been dominated by aggressive banner-wars, teasers, and hectic preparations.
Fresh off a fiery, combative speech at the Mumbai Press Club on Saturday, Uddhav Thackeray openly declared, “Yes, we want to overthrow this regime achieved through vote theft; we stand for regime change.” Thackeray is expected to scale up his attack. All eyes are on his stance concerning the Central government, the Election Commission, and the ruling coalition.
In light of severe drought conditions across parts of Maharashtra, Deputy CM Shinde has urged party cadres to avoid massive travel to Mumbai and instead focus ground-level efforts on reaching out to distressed farming families with relief material. Shinde’s faction has framed its gathering around public welfare and state development, aiming to counter Thackeray’s anti-establishment narrative.
With fierce exchanges expected over governance, constitutional integrity, and the true ownership of the Shiv Sena identity, Tuesday’s rallies are less about traditional festive greetings and more about a high-stakes rehearsal for future electoral dominance in Maharashtra. As political heavyweights take the stage, the ultimate question for observers is not just who draws the larger crowd, but whose message will ultimately capture the pulse of Maharashtra.
–IANS
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