Sena Vs Sena: Dussehra face-off on slushy Shivaji Park, Azad Maidan

Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray launch Assembly election campaigns at Dussehra rallies today, addressing key issues and rallying support

Mumbai: Chief minister Eknath Shinde and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray are all set to kick off their respective campaigns for the forthcoming Assembly elections at the Dussehra rally today. In keeping with his family’s tradition, Thackeray will hold the annual rally at Shivaji Park, Dadar, while Shinde will address the gathering at Azad Maidan.

Mumbai, India – Oct 11, 2024: Preparation underway for Shiv Sena (UBT) Dussehra rally, at Shivaji Park, Dadar, in Mumbai, India, on Friday, Oct 11, 2024. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo)

As the grounds of both venues have remained slushy, thanks to Thursday’s heavy downpour, chairs have been arranged for people to sit on at Shivaji Park, while wooden planks are being laid at Azad Maidan for people to walk through and avoid soiling their shoes.

At Shivaji Park, Sena (UBT) office bearers are already putting up banners naming Uddhav Thackeray the ‘future CM’. There has been a kerfuffle between leaders of the opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) over picking a chief ministerial candidate in the recent past – Thackeray and his party have repeatedly expressed their demand to declare the CM’s face, but the two other allies, Congress and NCP (SP), had not set their minds to it.

At Shivaji Park today, Thackeray is expected to bring up this issue again in his speech and his party colleagues are expected to back him. Also on Thackeray’s agenda is to respond to Shinde and union home minister Amit Shah’s recent criticism about him. A few weeks ago, Shah had said the forthcoming elections will spell the end of Thackeray and accused him of exiting the Hindutva ideology, promoted by his father, late Bal Thackeray.

He is also expected to speak about arbitrary expenditure and cost escalations of such projects as the Pune ring road and metro.

On the other hand, former MP of Shiv Sena, Rahul Shewale, expressed confidence that this year’s Dussehra Melawa will be a ‘Sankalp Melawa for Victory’ for the Mahayuti alliance, and will draw a “record-breaking crowd at Azad Maidan”.

“This rally will be a symbol of victory for the grand alliance,” Shewale said. He expressed optimism about a great turnout of women at the rally, given the “success of the Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana”. “We expect over two lakh Shiv Sainiks to join tomorrow’s gathering,” Shewale said, and added that discussions around seat allotment for the Mahayuti candidates will be finalised soon.