Shiv Sena Factions Heading For Another Showdown Over Dussehra Rally Venue

Mumbai: In a repeat of the showdown last year, the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray have both filed applications with the BMC to hold their annual Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park in Dadar.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Shinde-led Shiv Sena have applied for Shivtirth (Shivaji Park) as the venue for the annual Dussehra rally slated for October 24. The applications by the two factions were filed at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) G North ward office.

Veteran Shiv Sena leader and MLA Sada Sarvankar has applied for the venue on behalf of the Shinde faction and senior leader Mahesh Sawant has applied for Shiv Sena (UBT) for their respective Vijaya Dashami rallies.  The BMC has sent the applications to the legal department for its opinion.

However, according to the BMC sources, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena has applied for the Shivaji Park venue six days before the Shiv Sena (UBT), which had submitted its application on August 7 for permission to hold the rally on October 24.

Last year, after 40 Shiv Sena MLAs led by Shinde broke away in June, the Thackeray camp had applied for permission to hold the annual Dussehra rally of the party at Shivaji Park. Days later, the Shinde faction too applied for permission at the same venue.

The BMC rejected permission to both factions and eventually the Bombay High Court quashed the BMC order and allowed the Thackeray-led faction to hold the rally at Shivaji Park on October 5. The Shinde faction then held its Dussehra rally on the MMRDA grounds in Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC).

However, this year the Shivaji Park venue has become more important as the MMRDA ground at the BKC is not available due to the ongoing bullet train works.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) has issued an ultimatum to the BMC to allow them to hold the rally at the ground. In the reminder letter, it said it has been more than a month since they applied but the BMC hasn’t replied to them nor given them permission.

Sena (UBT) functionary Mahesh Sawant, who has made the application, said the BMC is deliberately delaying permission. “We have been writing to them for almost two months. Our rally will be held at Shivaji Park. The BMC must decide as early as possible. If they don’t, we will go ahead with our strategy and may have to go to the high court,” Sawant said.