Sat Oct 12 02:20:00 UTC 2024: ## Sena Splits Dominate Mumbai Dussehra Rallies as Maharashtra Election Looms

**Mumbai, October 19:** Mumbai’s annual Dussehra rallies, traditionally a platform for political messaging, particularly in election years, are set to be dominated by the ongoing feud within the Shiv Sena. The party, once united under the leadership of Balasaheb Thackeray, is now split between the factions led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

Today, both factions will hold separate rallies, marking another chapter in their ongoing power struggle. While Thackeray’s faction will gather at the historic Shivaji Park, the Shinde faction will assemble at Azad Maidan. Both events are expected to be hours-long affairs, culminating in speeches from the respective leaders.

The political climate is charged, with both factions using the rallies to solidify their positions ahead of the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections. The Shinde faction’s teaser for their event features a tiger, representing the Sena, tied to the Congress with a rope cut by Shinde. In contrast, Thackeray’s faction’s poster emphasizes saving Maharashtra’s pride and denouncing traitors – a clear reference to the MLAs who defected to Shinde’s side.

The Maharashtra election is expected to be a closely watched battle, with the Congress, battered by recent losses in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir, facing a strong BJP. The election dynamics are further complicated by the split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), with Ajit Pawar’s faction aligning with the BJP. The Thackeray-led Sena and Sharad Pawar’s NCP, along with the Congress, are currently allied under the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) banner, while Shinde’s Sena faction is part of the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance.

While the Congress has been criticized by allies, especially the Thackeray Sena, over its handling of alliances, both the BJP and Mahayuti have declared their intentions to return to power. Meanwhile, Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil, who has been advocating for reservation for his community, has issued a warning, demanding confirmation of reservations before the election code of conduct comes into effect.

The stage is set for a high-stakes election, with both sides gearing up for a tough battle. The exact date of the Maharashtra polls is yet to be announced but is expected to take place sometime in mid-November.

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