Will Raj be chief guest at Shinde’s Dussehra rally?

After effecting a vertical split, and bringing down the MVA government, the BJP and the Shinde faction are swiftly moving ahead to close Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray’s room to manoeuvre

Mumbai After effecting a vertical split, and bringing down the MVA government, the BJP and the Shinde faction are swiftly moving ahead to close Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray’s room to manoeuvre.

Thackeray has already said that his party will hold its rally at Shivaji Park irrespective of whether an official permission is obtained or not (Hindustan Times)

Following the surprise announcement that CM Shinde will hold the Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park where the Thackerays have traditionally held the show of strength, Shinde led a meeting of rebel MLAs to finalise plans for the prospective showdown with Uddhav Thackeray. Sources present at the meeting told Hindustan Times that the October 5 rally will be a mammoth affair in Uddhav Thackeray’s stronghold, and will formally kick-off the campaign to wrest BMC away from him.

Thackeray has already said that his party will hold its rally at Shivaji Park irrespective of whether an official permission is obtained or not. “Our Dusshera rally will happen at Shivaji Park at any cost,” said Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday.

In fact, the BJP and the Shinde faction have decided to use this entire festive month as a show of strength. BEST buses have been plastered with BJP ads talking about obstacles being lifted in the celebration of Hindu festivals. The Shinde government last month also lifted all height restrictions on the Ganpati idols, and now Dussehra promises to be full of political fireworks. Caught at the crossroads are BMC officials who have to ultimately decide on who gets the permission to hold the rally on Dussehra at Shivaji Park. “Dadar is also a hotbed for Ganesh celebrations and we do not want any clashes which may disturb the peace in the area. We want the festival to pass smoothly and any decision on the rally will be taken only after the Ganesh festival is over,” said a senior BMC official requesting he not be named.

Officials from the Urban Development Department which is headed by CM Shinde, pointed out that as per due process Uddhav Thackeray should be given the permission to hold the rally at Shivaji Park as their application was submitted in the last week of August before any other’s. “However, since BMC is currently being ruled by an administrator, it is likely that the BMC commissioner will follow the directives of the chief minister,” they pointed out.

Dadar comes under G/North ward of the BMC where until recently the assistant municipal commissioner was Kiran Dighavkar who known to be in the ‘good books’ of Aaditya Thackeray. He has since been transferred. Sources say that the BJP-Shinde government is keen on using Raj Thackeray to send a message to Sena’s support base that the Thackeray legacy is part of their grouping. In all likelihood Raj Thackeray may be the chief guest at Shinde faction’s Dussehra rally, say sources.

On Saturday, NCP chief Sharad Pawar advised Shinde to avoid any confrontation over the Dussehra rally. “Everyone has the right to hold rallies but such disputes need to be avoided. The chief minister should take an all-inclusive approach instead of taking a confrontational stance,” said Pawar. His nephew and former deputy CM Ajit Pawar said that both, Uddhav Thackeray and Shinde, should be given permission to hold their rally at Shivaji Park in turns. “The crowd that comes for their respective rallies will clear the air about whom the common folk support. As far as the question of which is the real Shiv Sena, that will be made clear by BMC election results,” he added.