Mumbai’s Shivaji Park is set to once again witness the grand Dussehra rally of Shiv Sena (UBT) on October 2, after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) granted formal permission to the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction. Interestingly, this year the UBT camp was the sole applicant for the historic ground, giving it a clear edge in the symbolic political battle.
In recent years, the split in Shiv Sena had forced rival factions of Uddhav Thackeray and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to organise separate rallies. While both had vied for Shivaji Park earlier, Shinde’s camp eventually chose Azad Maidan last year. This time, Uddhav’s group secured the iconic venue by applying as early as January through senior MLA Mahesh Sawant, who persistently followed up with the civic body five times. The final nod was confirmed by Assistant Municipal Commissioner Vinayak Vispute.
The development comes as the political atmosphere in Mumbai heats up ahead of the BMC polls. Speculation is rife about a potential alliance between Uddhav Thackeray and his cousin, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray. The prospect of the two brothers joining hands has already energised workers from both parties.
