SENA DUSSEHRA RALLY: SHOW OF STRENGTH ON PARTY AGENDA

MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena is gearing up for a show of strength at the party’s annual Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park in central Mumbai.

While the Bharatiya Janata Party waits for the uneasiness between the two parties to end with the Sena entering a poll alliance with them, Sena leaders say no major decision is expected on this issue.

On Wednesday, Sena leaders including Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut, state industries minister Subhash Desai and party secretary Milind Narvekar met to chalk out plans for the rally.

The Dussehra rally, which will be held on October 19 this year, is a key event in the Sena’s diary because the party chief usually gives direction to the cadre on key issues or events such as elections.

Sena members said all officebearers have been directed to bring party supporters to the rally.

Subhash Desai of the Sena said, “It is a crucial year for the party, and we are mobilising every cell of the party. There would be a huge turnout at the rally.”

“People are awaiting what directions and what decision the leadership takes in the rally,” Desai added.

However, another senior leader said that Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray was likely to “continue to take on both the Prime Minister and the Congress-nationalist Congress Party alliance”.

“No decision on [poll] alliance or pulling the plug on the [state] government has been taken by Uddhavji yet. There is still time,” he said.