Rashmi Thackeray visits Tembhi Naka Navratri pandal, Dighe memorial

The visit is significant as Tembhi Naka Navratri festivities were launched by Dighe and is currently controlled by Shinde – the chief minister was part of the procession that brought the idol of the Goddess there. The chief minister has been regularly invoking Dighe in his rebellion against Thackeray

Thane Days ahead of the showdown between the rival factions of Shiv Sena over the Dussehra rally, Rashmi Thackeray, wife of Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, visited the Tembhi Naka Navratri pandal in chief minister Eknath Shinde’s bastion of Thane. She also paid her respects at the memorial of late Anand Dighe, the Sena strongman in Thane and Shinde’s mentor.

Thane, India - September 29, 2022: Rashmi Thackeray, wife of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, performs aarti of Goddess Durga in CM Eknath Shinde's bastion accompanied by Shiv Sena workers at Tembhi Naka Navratri pandal, in Thane, Mumbai, India, on Thursday, September 29, 2022. (Praful Gangurde/HT Photo) (HT PHOTO)

The visit is significant as Tembhi Naka Navratri festivities were launched by Dighe and is currently controlled by Shinde – the chief minister was part of the procession that brought the idol of the Goddess there. The chief minister has been regularly invoking Dighe in his rebellion against Thackeray. In Thane, the Thackeray and Shinde camps are both staking claim to being the inheritors of the legacy of Dighe, who was a proponent of hardcore Hindutva.

The tour was also aimed at a soft yet significant message before civic elections in Thane, which is a traditional Shiv Sena bastion. The Shiv Sena’s first municipal president was elected in Thane just a year after the party was formed — Vasantrao Marathe in 1967.

Clad in a golden sari, Rashmi Thackeray entered Thane around 4 PM from the Anandnagar check post, where she was welcomed by Shiv Sena workers. She then headed towards Satkar hotel for refreshments and then proceeded to Anand Dighe memorial, ‘Anand Ashram,’ which was Dighe’s home-cum-office. She finally reached the Tembi naka pandal around 5 pm. Thackeray was accompanied by former Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar, MLC Manisha Kayande and Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi. The Shiv Sena had rallied its forces from Mumbai, especially workers from the womens’ wing.

There was some tension in Thane on Thursday morning over Rashmi Thackeray’s proposed visit. The Shinde camp, which controls the Tembhi Naka mandal made it clear that while anyone was welcome to visit it, this should not turn into a show of strength or clash with arati timings.

Eventually, both sides chose a temporary détente - Rashmi Thackeray avoided the evening aarti timings and the Shinde faction too stayed away from the pandal while she and the Sena’s woman wing paid obeisance and performed aarti.

After performing aarti at the pandal, Rashmi Thackeray refused to speak to the media and merely wished happiness for all. Shiv Sainiks, meanwhile, shouted slogans in support of Uddhav Thackeray in the pandal.

However, some sloganeering and counter-sloganeering took place at ‘Anand Ashram’ between workers of the rival factions but it was stopped within minutes. The police were deployed in full strength to prevent any clashes.

Rashmi Thackeray has visited the Tembi Naka pandal with Uddhav Thackeray and son Aaditya for several years. However, after the vertical split in the Shiv Sena that toppled his Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, the former CM has not visited Thane. Rashmi Thackeray is the second member of the Thackeray family to go to Thane after son and Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray.

Pednekar said, “We come here every year and Eknath Shinde had welcomed us every time. The only difference is earlier we came on our own, this time we decided to come with Rashmi. We are not here for any political reason. Uddhav and Aaditya might also come for a visit in the next few days.”

Former Thane mayor and Shinde supporter Meenakshi Shinde said, “Anyone is welcome to visit our pandal. We will not stop anyone. The celebration is above any party. However, they should not make it a political agenda.”

BOX:

Shinde faction formally announces Dussehra rally at BKC

The Eknath Shinde camp, which is organizing a Dussehra rally at the BKC grounds, released a teaser for the October 5 rally which pitches Shinde as the true inheritor of the legacy of Bal Thackeray. The poster also has a photograph of the late Anand Dighe and the tagline: ‘Hindavi Tof Punha Dhaddhadnar’ (The cannon of Hindutva will fire again). On the same day, Uddhav Thackeray will address a rally at Shivaji Park.