Rival Shiv Sena factions seek permission for Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park

MUMBAI: Days after the Shiv Sena faction led by party president Uddhav Thackeray applied for permission to hold the the annual Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park in Mumbai, faction led by CM Eknath Shinde too applied for the same permission.


Rebel Sena MLA from Dadar, Sada Sarvankar, has sent an application to the BMC to hold the ‘Shiv Sena’s Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park on October 5, in the evening at the same time when the Uddhav faction has asked for permission.

Just last week, Uddhav Thackeray had said that the Sena’s annual Dussehra rally will be held at Dadar’s Shivaji Park.

“There is no confusion about the Dussehra rally. The Dussehra rally will be ours. Shiv Sena's Dussehra rally will be held at Shivaji Park itself. Shiv Sainiks from all corners of Maharashtra have started preparations to come to Shivaji Park,” Uddhav had said.

Now the Shinde faction has also applied for the rally even as the BMC is yet to decide on the Uddhav faction’s August 22 application.

The BMC has said that it would examine the application.

“We have now received two applications for the Dussehra rally of the Shiv Sena. As per the 2016 state government resolution, Dussehra rally is allowed at Shivaji Park and is one of the events allowed but it doesn’t specify which faction or party can hold the rally. Both the applications are from the Shiv Sena,” said a senior civic official.

“I apply for permission every year for the Dussehra rally as a local Shiv Sena MLA and this year also I have applied for permission to hold the Shiv Sena annual Dussehra rally,” Sarvankar told TOI.

For the last two years, due to the Covid-19 pandemic-induced lockdown, the Sena’s Dussehra rally was held in an auditorium while Shiv Sainiks had to join virtually in 2020.

Uddhav had addressed party workers from Swatantryaveer Savarkar auditorium opposite the Shivaji Park. Only 50 top leaders and ministers were part of the physical event inside the auditorium.

In 2021, the rally was held with 50% capacity in-person at Sion’s Shanmukhananda Hall.

This year Dussehra falls on October 5. The Shiv Sena has been holding its Dussehra rally in Shivaji Park for over close to five decades. The Dussehra rally is an important event in the Sena’s calendar, which was founded in 1966. The annual Dussehra rally has been a Shiv Sena institution since then.

Political observers said that if the BMC delays giving permission, the matter will have to be decided by the courts and there could be a situation when no faction is allowed to hold the Dussehra rally this year.

“Dussehra is a public holiday. Dussehra day was the most suitable date for the Sena’s first rally. Then it became an annual event on Dussehra, and Shiv Sainiks eagerly waited for the leader’s speeches on this day,” said a senior Sena functionary.


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