Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray to reply to MNS, BJP at Saturday’s rally

MUMBAI: CM Uddhav Thackeray is likely take on the BJP and MNS on the issue of Hindutva and sound the Shiv Sena’s bugle for the civic elections at his rally in the city on Saturday, Sena leaders said.
The rally at the MMRDA grounds in BKC will be the Sena’s first major rally since the 2019 assembly elections and since the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020.
Sena leader and transport minister Anil Parab, who is organising the rally, said that Thackeray “is the CM and the leader of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, but he is also the Sena chief. Like he said, many masks will be ripped off in his speech. He will speak on issues like Hindutva and even governance issues. It will be a mega rally and a political thriller.” Parab said the ground’s capacity is around 1.6 lakh people, and the Sena has only called workers from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
The Sena has also launched a 15-second teaser for the rally which features a clip of late Sena founder Bal Thackeray talking about being Shiv Sena ‘pramukh’ because of the support of Shiv Sainiks. The teaser also says Shiv Sainiks will “see and hear real Hindutva” at the rally.
Last month, CM Thackeray had said that at the rally, he would remove his mask and give a befitting reply to those harping on Hindutva. Party leaders said Thackeray will use the rally to reply to political opponents like the BJP and also the MNS, which has been brandishing its saffron credentials by taking up the issue of reciting Hanuman Chalisa outside mosques and demanding that loudspeakers at mosques be removed.
Last week, Thackeray had alleged BJP was only interested in opposing initiatives of MVA. “I will not just criticise but will speak my mind on May 14,” he had said.