Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray with other opposition leaders protests at Vidhan Bhavan on the last day of Monsoon Session of Maharashtra Assembly, in Mumbai, Aug. 25, 2022. (PTI)THE TUSSLE between the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena for holding the annual public rally at Shivaji Park on Dusshera has set the stage for another confrontation between the two camps.
Shiv Sena MLA and former minister Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday alleged that authorities were not accepting an application from his party to hold its annual Dussehra rally, a several-decade-old political event that is synonymous with the fiery speeches of founder late Bal Thackeray.
He was replying to queries by the media at the Nagpur airport on the likelihood of both the Thackeray and Shinde factions applying for permission for the rally.
“The Shiv Sena is seeking permission to hold its annual Dussehra rally in Mumbai but authorities are not accepting our application. This (Eknath Shinde dispensation) is a repressive government,” he claimed.
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Asked whether the Shinde faction is trying to hijack the Dussehra rally, Aaditya said people have come to know what is behind the masks of the rebels and were not liking it.
He added that his Shiv Samvaad Yatra was getting very good responses across the state.
The BMC, meanwhile, is yet to take any decision on the application submitted by the Thackeray-led Sena faction.
Commenting on these developments, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the home minister, said: “I am not aware what Thackeray-led Sena had done… But as a home minister, I can say everything will be done according to the law. Nothing will go against the law.”
Exercising caution, Fadnavis also refrained from commenting on which was the real Sena. Responding to a question on the Supreme Court referring matters related to the real Sena to a larger bench, Fadnavis said, “Whatever is within the law will happen. Nothing will happen outside the law.”
On senior leader Gulam Nabi Azad quitting Congress, he said, “Congress is a sinking boat. Nobody wants to remain. I am not in know about the details. Azad has cited reasons for his decision. From what I read; his reasons seem valid.”
The annual Dusshera rally at Shivaji Park was started by Bal Thackeray since the foundation of Shiv Sena in 1966. The overwhelming response to the annual rally marked the success of the party and its leadership. The Sena leader used this rally to spell out the party’s policies and programmes for its sainiks with clear political directives and directions.
After Bal Thackeray’s demise, Uddhav Thackeray took the centre stage to address the Sainiks on this day.
(With inputs from PTI)