Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park, come what may: Uddhav Thackeray

Thackeray’s firm stand comes amid reports of possibility of Sena rebels and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde camp, which claims to be the “original Sena”, also holding its rally at the same venue. The Shinde camp held its meeting late Monday night to finalise the venue. The meeting was in progress at the time of writing this report.

Sena sources said that they have applied for the permission to hold a rally at Shivaji Park on Dussehra. “We have given the application to hold the rally on August 22. We haven’t yet received the permission,” said a Sena leader.

Speaking to reporters at his residence Matoshri, Thackeray said, “Let there be no confusion on who will hold the rally on Dussehra. It will be us, it will be Shiv Sena. Dussehra rally will be held and it will be held in Shivaji Park.” Dussehra will be celebrated this year on October 5.

This is for the second time that the Thackeray camp is being made to struggle for the venue for its programme. A week back, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) booked Worli’s Jambori ground to organise a Dahi Handi festival; the venue was earlier used by Sachin Ahir of the Sena to organise his Dahi Handi. Worli also happens to be the assembly constituency of Yuva Sena chief and former minister Aaditya Thackeray. The Shinde camp is also said to be constructing a headquarter in Dadar where Sena Bhavan is located. One of the ministers from Shinde camp, Uday Samant, had said last month that the plan was not to copy Sena Bhavan but to construct a “place for all the workers to come and sit” as they travel from across the state.

When contacted, Prashant Sapkale, Assistant Commissioner, G-north ward where the park is located, said, “We received one application from one political party on August 22 to use Shivaji Park on the day of Dussehra. But since Dadar is the heart of everything that is happening, our first priority is to ensure smooth functioning during Ganesh festival. Rest will be decided later.”

Thackeray clarified that the Sena and its workers have “not moved an inch” from where they were. “The party has completed 56 years and we have seen many like these (Shinde faction). The Sena grows on the blood of loyal workers and not on traitors,” he said, adding that he will speak on all these topics in the rally.

Shiv Sena has been holding the Dussehra rally at the park or Shiv tirth, as the party calls it, for years now. It is one of the most important events for the Sena as a political party since its foundation was laid in 1966. In 2020, during the pandemic, the rally was organised virtually while in 2021, it was held at the Shanmukhananda hall in Kings Circle.