Shiv Sena looks for back-up plan for Dussehra rally

In what seems to be a climbdown from its earlier exalted position of holding the rally at the traditional venue, the Shiv Sena is looking at alternative sites

Mumbai With the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) stone-walling its attempt to get the Shivaji Park ground for its rally on Dussehra day, the Shiv Sena is now exploring legal options to get the venue for the public meeting. It is being seen as a prestige battle with the rival camp, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

The rival camps led by Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray and Shinde are at odds over holding the October 5 rally at Shivaji Park and have staked claim to it in separate applications filed before the BMC (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

In what seems to be a climbdown from its earlier exalted position of holding the rally at the traditional venue, the Shiv Sena is looking at alternative sites. It is the party’s first such show of strength in Mumbai after the vertical split in its ranks.

But the Sena, which has ruled the civic body for decades (1985-1992 and 1997-2022) faces an interesting situation—the city lacks adequate number of open spaces and grounds where such events, which see a mass turnout, can be organised.

The rival camps led by Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray and Shinde are at odds over holding the October 5 rally at Shivaji Park and have staked claim to it in separate applications filed before the BMC.

Though the Shinde camp has secured the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) grounds, its leaders insist they want to use the Shivaji Park for the rally.

A senior Shiv Sena leader said that the BMC and state government were likely to deny Shivaji Park to both on grounds of a possible law-and-order situation. “The BMC is neither granting nor denying us permission. We have no option but to approach the High Court this week and a final draft of our petition is being prepared. We are trying to locate other sites for the rally and leaders have been asked to do the needful,” he added.

The Shiv Sena leader admitted that the city lacked an adequate number of grounds that could accommodate the crowds. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has denied permissions to Sena’s labour wing to use another ground in the BKC as it has been booked by a company on Dussehra.

“The NESCO grounds can accommodate just about 25,000 people, compared to around 1-1.25 lakh in Shivaji Park. Other grounds like Nare Park and Kamgar Maidan are also small. The Somaiya ground has a capacity to accommodate around 75,000, but there are some constructions at the site. Our leaders have been asked to visit probable locations for a backup plan,” he explained.

Former Mayor and Sena leader Milind Vaidya said the party had sent its application to the civic body on August 22 but had not received permissions despite follow-ups. He was told by civic officials that they would seek views of BMC’s law department. Vaidya attributed this delay to political pressure and questioned how a law-and-order situation could arise when the Shinde camp had already secured permissions for their rally at BKC.

“Dirty politics is being played in Maharashtra. The Shinde government is pressurising the BMC to ensure that the Shiv Sena does not hold the Dussehra rally. Shiv Sena will move High Court, and hold the Dussehra rally on the Shivteerth (as the ground is called in the Sena’s lexicon) with the HC’s permission,” said Shiv Sena Lok Sabha MP Vinayak Raut.

Water supply minister Gulabrao Patil, who belongs to the rebel Shinde camp, said they will go ahead with BKC even if they fail to secure Shivaji Park.