Mumbai: The battle between the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and the rival faction led by chief minister Eknath Shinde and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has now found a new battleground in Shivaji Park, a maidan located at the heart of the Sena bastion in Dadar.
Traditionally, the Shiv Sena holds its Dusshera rally in Shivaji Park. The party, born at the Ranade Road residence of Bal Thackeray on June 19, 1966, held its first public meeting in the maidan on Dusshera in October that year.
Bal Thackeray, and later his son and Shiv Sena party president Uddhav Thackeray, also held public meetings at the grounds thereafter, forging an inextricable link with the Shivaji Park.
Now, with the new government in place with a Shinde-led faction of Sena and the BJP in alliance, this could well change. The Sena is crying foul and alleges that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), currently administered by the state government, is yet to give it permission to hold its rally on October 5. Speculations are rife that Shinde, who is keen to project his faction as the “real” Sena, may hold his public meeting at the grounds as a way to cement his claim.
“The Shiv Sena has always held the Dusshera rally at Shivaji Park,” said Shiv Sena leader and Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray, adding that the BMC had not accepted their application to hold the public meeting. “We are constantly trying for the permission. But, this gaddar government (government of traitors) is a government that wants to supress (the political opposition),” he said.
Sada Sarvankar, rebel Shiv Sena MLA from Mahim, who is part of the Shinde faction, said: “I used to apply for the Dusshera rally permissions (as the local vibhag pramukh). Hence, the (BMC) administration may be waiting for my application. In the changed circumstances, someone else may have applied. They (the BMC) may be in a quandary about what can be done if I apply as the local MLA and vibhag pramukh. Hence, the permissions may have been delayed.”
Former Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar said that supressing the voice of the Shiv Sena will not be possible.
Deputy chief minister and home minister Devendra Fadnavis said: “Eknathrao Shinde is the leader of the Shiv Sena. I do not know what his party has decided or if they will hold the rally. I am also not aware if Uddhav Thackeray will hold the rally. As the home minister, I can only say that we will act as per the rules.”
A senior Shiv Sena leader said that they could prepare the Shivaji Park for the rally even they secured the necessary permissions a day or two before Dusshera.