Shiv Sena UBT Chief, Uddhav Thackeray, will be holding the annual Dussehra Melava at Shivaji Park, Dadar. Shiv Sena Chief and Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde, decided to shift the venue of their Dussehra rally from Azad Maidan, which is muck-ridden, to NESCO in Goregaon. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is commemorating 100 years on this Dussehra and will be holding a rally in Nagpur. Addressing the reporters, Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut made a controversial remark. He said that today, only two major rallies will be held, one by the RSS in Nagpur and the other will be held by Shiv Sena (UBT) in Shivaji Park.
Sanjay Raut said, “In Maharashtra, there are only two major Dussehra rallies, one in Nagpur by the RSS, which has completed 100 years, and the other at Shivaji Park, Mumbai, where Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray founded Shiv Sena, and the rally has been held for the past 60–65 years. Today’s rally will take place there, Uddhav Thackeray will attend and guide, and millions of Shiv Sainiks will gather.”
This year’s rally holds significant importance as both parties gear up for a clash in the forthcoming Mumbai civic elections.
The split between Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction, or UBT) and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena became evident in 2022, following a political upheaval in Maharashtra. In June 2022, a group of MLAs led by Eknath Shinde rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership, citing ideological differences and dissatisfaction with the alliance with the Congress-NCP government. This rebellion ultimately led to the fall of the Uddhav-led government and the formation of a new government with Shinde as the Chief Minister, backed by the BJP. Following this division, Shiv Sena effectively split into two factions, each claiming the party’s legacy. The split was reflected in annual events like the Dussehra rally, with UBT and Shinde factions organizing separate processions, each showcasing their distinct leadership and political messaging to assert legitimacy among party supporters.