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Dussehra rallies: While Uddhav, Raj Thackeray are expected to share stage at Sena UBT’s rally at Shivaji Park, Eknath Shinde may announce relief for farmers at NESCO event
Uddhav and Raj Thackeray. (PTI)
Uddhav-Raj Thackeray on the same stage versus Eknath Shinde’s promised relief for farmers – major fireworks are expected at the high-stakes annual Dussehra rallies of the Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) and Shinde Sena rally in Mumbai on Tuesday (October 20).
All you need to know.
SHIV SENA (UBT) DUSSEHRA RALLY
Where is it?
The rally will be held at its traditional and iconic venue, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park (Shivaji Park) in Dadar, Mumbai.
What to expect?
A major highlight of this rally is the highly anticipated and potentially historic appearance of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray sharing the stage with his cousin, Uddhav Thackeray. Discussions for an ideological exchange and opposition collaboration are a key focus.
At A Glance
The rival Shiv Sena factions led by Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde are holding separate annual Dussehra rallies in Mumbai on October 20.
Bal Thackeray officially founded the Shiv Sena on June 19, 1966, and held the first Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park on October 30, 1966.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde plans to use his faction’s rally to announce a structured statewide relief network for drought-hit farmers.
The annual Dussehra rally tradition has served as a core political fixture in Maharashtra politics for over five decades.
Core Messaging
The Uddhav Thackeray-led faction has released a teaser framing its supporters as a “blazing torch” gathered for the protection of the Constitution.
Expect Uddhav Thackeray to take heavy potshots at the ruling Mahayuti government, specifically raising allegations regarding irregularities in electoral rolls, delays in the MPSC, and state issues like Maratha reservations.
SHIV SENA (SHINDE FACTION) DUSSEHRA RALLY
Where is it?
The rally is scheduled at the NESCO Exhibition Centre in Goregaon, Mumbai. The venue was finalized over alternatives like Azad Maidan to prevent weather disruptions.
What to expect?
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has dedicated this year’s flagship annual gathering strictly to the plight of drought-hit farmers in Maharashtra.
Shinde is expected to use the stage to roll out a structured, statewide relief network. The party plans to dispatch trucks carrying ration kits to drought-affected areas and distribute thousands of bicycles for farmers’ children and sewing machines for women.
Alongside the welfare messaging, Shinde will forcefully defend his faction’s claim to Bal Thackeray’s original legacy and launch sharp political counter-offensives against the UBT leadership.
SENA DUSSEHRA RALLY: HOW THE TRADITION STARTED
The tradition was born alongside the birth of the party itself in 1966. Bal Thackeray officially founded the Shiv Sena on June 19, 1966. Shortly after, he announced in his weekly political cartoon magazine, Marmik, that he would address his first-ever public meeting on the auspicious day of Dussehra—October 30, 1966.
He selected Shivaji Park in Dadar, Mumbai. The ground already held deep political meaning for the Marathi population, as it had been the nerve center for the Samyukta Maharashtra movement in the 1950s (the movement that successfully fought for a separate Marathi-speaking state).
The first rally drew an unexpectedly massive crowd. During the event, a simple steel tiffin box was passed around the park to collect small cash donations to fund the fledgling party. The overwhelming response established Shivaji Park (affectionately dubbed Shivtirth by the cadre) as the permanent annual setting for the Sena’s political address.
For over five decades, barring rare disruptions due to extreme weather, the pandemic, or election codes of conduct, this annual gathering has remained an unbroken political ritual.
WHY DUSSEHRA RALLY MATTERS
The Shiv Sena Dussehra rally (Dasara Melava) is one of the most significant fixtures in Maharashtra politics. It is considered a massive deal because it serves as the ultimate annual platform for the party leadership to showcase organizational muscle, lay down ideological roadmaps, and issue direct directives to the party cadre.
The rally acts as an annual barometer of the party’s grassroots support. Weeks are spent mobilising lakhs of party workers (Sainiks) from across Maharashtra to flood Mumbai.
Historically, the rally is where the party chief lays down the broad political objectives and major policy directives for the coming year. Sainiks treat the leader’s speech as an absolute order.
Major political shifts have happened live on the Dussehra stage. For instance, founder Bal Thackeray used the late 1980s rallies to officially launch the party’s core Hindutva agenda. In 2010, he used the rally to formally induct his grandson, Aaditya Thackeray, into active politics.
Since the vertical split of the Shiv Sena in 2022, the event has become even more critical. Hosting parallel rallies has turned the day into a high-stakes competition between Uddhav Thackeray (UBT) and Eknath Shinde (Shinde faction) to prove who the “real” ideological heir of Bal Thackeray is.
Quick Answers
Ask News18The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) rally is scheduled at its traditional venue, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park in Dadar, Mumbai, while the Shinde Sena rally will take place at the NESCO Exhibition Centre in Goregaon, Mumbai.
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