Uddhav Thackeray's Plan To Take On 'Hindutva' Barbs At Mumbai Rally

This will be the Shiv Sena's first mega rally since the pandemic started, the Chief Minister is expected to take on political opponents MNS and BJP.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will address a massive rally at the Bandra-Kurla Complex in Mumbai on Saturday to kick off his party's campaign for the upcoming civic body elections in Maharashtra, especially in Mumbai where the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections are due. 

This will be the Shiv Sena's first mega rally since the pandemic started, and the Chief Minister is expected to take on political opponents such as MNS and BJP over Hindutva and other issues. The rally is also Uddhav Thackeray's first physical political rally after he became the chief minister. The Sena expects a massive turnout at the rally as supporters from across the state are expected to attend. Mr Thackeray is scheduled to speak after 7:30 pm while other senior Sena leaders will speak before him.

Posters of Sena patriarch Balasaheb Thackeray along with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and cabinet minister Aaditya Thackeray have come up across Mumbai. The party has also released a video teaser for the rally. In the teaser, Bal Thackeray is heard saying, "I am a Sena pramukh because of the support of the Shiv Sainiks".

The rally is part of the party's Shiv Sampark Abhiyan and a large mobilisation of party workers is expected as the Sena is pitching the rally as a show of strength and reinforcing the message that Bal Thackeray's legacy firmly remains with Uddhav Thackeray and the Shiv Sena and not any new claimants like the MNS or the BJP, which has alleged that the Sena has moved away from Hindutva ideology.