Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde held separate Dussehra rallies in Mumbai on Tuesday, October 20, renewing their contest over the legacy of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray.

Uddhav’s faction held its annual rally at Shivaji Park in Dadar, while the Shinde-led faction organised its gathering at the NESCO Centre in Goregaon. The rallies have assumed greater political significance since the party split in 2022, with both factions asserting their claim to its identity and legacy.

Uddhav was expected to target the BJP and the ruling Mahayuti government, raising issues including alleged irregularities in electoral rolls, law and order, and police action against protesting students. He has previously accused the ruling dispensation of benefiting from alleged “vote theft”.

Shinde’s rally was expected to highlight the Mahayuti government’s development initiatives and welfare measures. Amid drought conditions in parts of Maharashtra, he had urged party workers to prioritise assistance to affected farming families. His faction also announced plans to distribute ration kits to drought-hit households.

The Dussehra rally tradition began in 1966, when Balasaheb Thackeray addressed supporters at Shivaji Park. The rival gatherings provide both leaders an opportunity to mobilise their respective supporters and demonstrate organisational strength.