File Photo: Krishna devotees participate in 'Dahi-Handi event during Janmashtami celebrations.
Credit: PTI Photo
Mumbai: As the Maharashtra local bodies polls approach, top politicians converged on Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) on Saturday, using the Krishna Janmashtami-Dahi Handi festival as an outreach event.
Despite heavy rains, Dahi Handi festivities provided an energetic launch for the election campaigns.
The top leaders of the ruling MahaYuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi took to the streets of MMR — comprising the twin districts of Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban and neighbouring districts of Palghar, Thane and Raigad — trying to reach as many mandals as possible.
There are an estimated 800 to 1,000 big Dahi Handi mandals in the MMR.
From Worli, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis launched the BJP’s celebrations.
“The handi of sins in Mumbai’s civic body has been broken and people will replace it with a handi of development….change in the BMC is inevitable…the butter from the handi of development will be distributed to the people,” Fadnavis said at Parivartan Dahi Handi Utsav 2025 at Jambori Maidan in Worli.
BJP leader and former MP Kirit Somaiya took part in human pyramid formation at the Jangal Mangal Road in Bhandup.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde joined the festivities in Tembi Naka, his bastion in Thane. “In Tembi Naka, the celebrations were started by late Anand Dighe Saheb…Thane has become the hub of Dahi Handi celebration,” he said and hailed Operation Sindoor and Operation Mahadev. “This is new India…we will strike deep,” he said.
Mumbai Congress President and MP Prof Varsha Gaikwad said, “This auspicious day is not only a celebration of festivity but also a reminder of the message of unity, brotherhood, justice, and love. Shri Krishna, through his life, demonstrated that no matter how powerful injustice, arrogance, and evil tendencies may be, their defeat is inevitable in the face of truth, patience, and virtue. Each one of us should walk the path of Krishna’s teachings and light the lamp of equality, justice, and unity. On this Janmashtami, let us all come together and build a society that protects humanity and fosters harmony.”