Mumbai: Today’s annual Dussehra rally in Mumbai, typically a platform for political messaging, especially during election years, will see the rival factions of Shiv Sena hosting separate events due to the ongoing split between Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray.
Mr. Thackeray’s group will gather at the historic Shivaji Park, which has been a traditional venue for Sena Dussehra celebrations since the late 1960s, while Mr. Shinde’s faction will meet at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai. Both events will include festivities and food stalls leading up to speeches from ex-Chief Minister Thackeray and Chief Minister Shinde.
Despite recent heavy rains possibly causing muddy conditions, Sanjay Raut of Thackeray’s Sena has assured that the day’s plans will remain unaffected. Leading up to the rallies, both factions have released promotional teasers: Shinde’s features an image of a tiger, symbolizing Sena, being freed from Congress, while Thackeray’s highlights the theme of preserving Maharashtra’s honor and addressing the MLAs who sided with Shinde.
The contest in Maharashtra, potentially the final significant election this year, will see a battered Congress, following defeats in Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir, pitted against the BJP, which has succeeded in three of the six Assembly elections held in 2024, as well as in the general election earlier this year. The primary focus, however, will be on the factions of Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party, which recently experienced a split similar to Sena’s, after nephew Ajit Pawar rebelled against his uncle, party leader Sharad Pawar.
The Thackeray faction and Sharad Pawar’s NCP are part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance along with Congress, while Shinde’s group and NCP are allied with the BJP as the Mahayuti coalition. The former alliance celebrates a strong performance in the Lok Sabha elections, claiming 30 of 48 seats in the state, with Congress securing an impressive 13. However, this confidence may have diminished due to Congress’ disappointing results in Haryana and J&K. The Thackeray Sena, allied with Congress nationally as part of the INDIA bloc, criticized Rahul Gandhi’s party this week, claiming it hasn’t adequately supported its allies.
In response, Congress’ Maharashtra branch emphasized the unique political contexts of each state and reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with partners there. The BJP and Mahayuti alliance remain optimistic about regaining power, with Shinde’s faction branding itself as the legitimate successor to Balsaheb Thackeray’s legacy. In addition to the Sena rallies, Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil, known for his hunger strike advocating for reservation for his community, will speak at an event in Beed district.
Although he hasn’t made any explicit political moves yet, both MVA and Mahayuti are monitoring his activities closely.
