Mumbai: On the occasion of Dussehra, five different rallies will be held across Maharashtra, including those led by Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray or UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Shiv Sena chief leader Eknath Shinde.
Heavy rains have caused extensive damage to agriculture in many parts of the state, with Marathwada being hit the hardest. Against this backdrop, the Dussehra rallies of various leaders and parties will take place tomorrow, carrying special significance in Maharashtra’s political landscape.
The Vijayadashami programme of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) will be organised in Nagpur, while both factions of Shiv Sena will hold their rallies in Mumbai. Additionally, BJP leader and Environment Minister Pankaja Munde will conduct her Dussehra rally at Bhagwan Gad in Ahilyanagar district. Pro-Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil is also scheduled to hold a rally at Narayangad tomorrow.
The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) party’s Dussehra rally 2025 will be held at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park, popularly known as Shivtirth, in Dadar. The highlight of the event will be the speech by party chief Uddhav Thackeray. Party insiders indicate that Thackeray is likely to rally support for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections and other local body polls in the state. He is also expected to intensify criticism of the MahaYuti government’s handling of the recent natural disasters caused by heavy rains and floods in Marathwada and other regions.
The party announced Thursday’s rally on X, stating: “Thoughts of Thackeray, Voice of Maharashtra, Dussehra Gathering 2025. The torch of Maharashtra’s welfare will blaze right here!”
Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena faction led by Eknath Shinde will hold its Dussehra rally at the NESCO Exhibition Centre, Goregaon, instead of the traditional Azad Maidan. In a post on X, Shinde said, “This year’s Dussehra rally on the farmers’ bund. The venue has changed, tradition is not.”
Shinde is expected to launch a fresh attack against his former leader and Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray while outlining his party’s strategy to win the BMC elections as a key ally in the MahaYuti alliance.
The Shiv Sena Dussehra rally has been a tradition for the past 58 years. However, there have been exceptions; in 2006, heavy rains led to the cancellation of the rally when Shivaji Park ground was covered with mud. In 2009, the rally was postponed due to the model code of conduct during assembly elections. Furthermore, in 2020 and 2021, the rally was held in a closed hall at the Swatantryaveer Savarkar Memorial due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following the split of the Shinde group from Shiv Sena in 2022, separate Dussehra rallies are now held by the Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray group and the Shiv Sena Shinde faction.
BJP leader Pankaja Munde’s Dussehra rally at Bhagwan Gad is significant amid ongoing protests demanding pro-Maratha and OBC reservations. Similarly, pro-Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil will address the gathering at Narayangad in Beed district. Jarange-Patil, who recently called off his protest in Mumbai, continues to press for the implementation of a government resolution issued in early September regarding the provision of Kunbi certificates to Maratha community members.
This year also marks the centenary of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. In this context, the RSS’s Dussehra rally in Nagpur will hold special significance. On Dussehra day, the Sangh performs Shastra Pujan, followed by a speech from Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat.
(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ’s editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/uddhav-vs-shinde-political-showdown-set-for-dussehra-rallies-in-maharashtra