Shiv Sena plans rally on Thursday to mark Bal Thackeray’s birth anniversary

Several celebrities, predominately from the Marathi film industry, are expected to perform at the anniversary celebrations which will be held at MMRDA Grounds in Bandra Kurla Complex this evening.

Shiv Sena has planned a massive show of strength on the occasion of the party’s founder Bal Thackeray’s birth anniversary on Thursday. The party has organised a mega gathering to mark its rise to power in the echelons of the Mantralaya. Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray will be felicitated by 11 senior Sena leaders at the event.

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray will be felicitated by 11 senior Shiv Sena leaders at a gathering to mark founder Bal Thackeray’s birth anniversary, Jan 23, 2020. (Satyabrata Tripathy/HT Photo)

Sena minister Anil Parab said the event is to celebrate the “fulfilment of the promise” to install a Sena leader as chief minister. Earlier, the party was planning to invite leaders from other political parties along with film and sports personalities. However, a section of the party was against this plan and pushed to keep the event a “party function”.

Parab said that every year, the party organises a convention on the birth anniversary of the Sena founder. However, this year, since the Shiv Sena has formed the government under the chief ministership of Uddhav, the celebrations are going to be on a larger scale. “Uddhavji will be felicitated by 11 Sena leaders for fulfilling the promise he made to Balasaheb. No film personalities or any political leaders from other parties have been invited for the event,” Parab said.

Several celebrities, predominately from the Marathi film industry, are expected to perform at the anniversary celebrations which will be held at MMRDA Grounds in Bandra Kurla Complex this evening.