Uddhav Thackeray Vs Eknath Shinde: The Dussehra rallies will be crucial with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls in the next few months
Amid the rain, the political atmosphere in Mumbai is heating up as both Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Shinde Sena chief and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will hold rallies on the occasion of Dussehra on Thursday.
The rallies will be crucial with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls in the next few months.
Shinde will hold the rally at the NESCO Centre in Goregaon although it was earlier scheduled to take place at the Azad Maidan in south Mumbai. Thackeray will hold the rally at its traditional venue – Shivaji Park in Dadar area of central Mumbai.
Thackeray, in a press conference on Wednesday, criticised the Maharashtra government, accusing it of being indifferent to the suffering of farmers affected by recent excess rainfall and crop damage.
“The government is enjoying itself while farmers are in deep trouble. Crops that grew in front of their eyes are now worth nothing. Instead of helping, the state is ignoring the crisis. We demanded loan waivers, but the government has ignored it. Are farmers now waiting to join the BJP just to get loan relief,” Thackeray asked, adding, “Our state is facing a serious crisis, but all attention seems to be on Bihar due to elections. This is blatant injustice to Maharashtra.”
पक्षप्रमुख मा. श्री. उद्धवसाहेब ठाकरे ह्यांची पत्रकार परिषद | मातोश्री, मुंबई – #LIVE https://t.co/MeTzZ7IHIh
— ShivSena – शिवसेना Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (@ShivSenaUBT_) October 1, 2025
Shinde on Tuesday urged workers from flood-hit areas to not come for the rally in Mumbai. He said they could instead help flood victims in the area, and only workers from Mumbai, Thane and suburbs should come. “The gathering will be dedicated to farmers. Our purpose will be collect relief funds for farmers and victims,” he said.
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https://t.co/oquv6g9kcM— Eknath Shinde – एकनाथ शिंदे (@mieknathshinde) October 1, 2025
The arrangements in Mumbai
The Mumbai police have deployed more than 16,500 constables and nearly 2,900 officers along with the personnel of various special units across the city in view of the Dussehra rallies of political parties and processions for immersion of goddess Durga idols on October 2, officials told PTI.
“In view of these political rallies and the Durga idol immersion processions, the police have made elaborate security arrangements to maintain law and order and to avoid any untoward incident,” an official said on Wednesday. “Seven Additional Commissioners of Police, 26 Deputy Commissioners, 52 Assistant Commissioners, 2,890 officers and 16,552 constables have been deployed,” he said.
