Shiv Sena, Shiv Sena (UBT) to sound poll bugle for local bodies election during Dussehra

Mumbai: In the backdrop of the devastating floods across Maharashtra, Pahalgam terrorist attack and Operation Sindoor, the issue involving Marathi language and pride, the two Shiv Senas sounded the poll bugle on Dussehra or the forthcoming local bodies elections which include the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the richest civic body of India.

While Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray will address the rally at the historic Shivaji Park, Shiv Sena chief leader Eknath Shinde, who is the deputy chief minister, is expected to address the rally at Azad Maidan.

The BMC has been ruled by the undivided Balasaheb Thackeray-founded Shiv Sena continuously for quarter of a century.

For the Shinde-Sena, which is part of the BJP-led Maha Yuti as well as the Uddhav-Sena, which is part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, the road ahead is full of challenges.

In fact, 2024 - when the Lok Sabha polls as well as the Vidhan Sabha poll were held - there were surprises. While the MVA took lead in Lok Sabha polls giving a shocker to the BJP and NDA, the national saffron party in power managed to reverse the situation and won Maharashtra by a landslide margin.

Besides, 2025 also had its share of surprises and Uddhav and his cousin and MNS president Raj Thackeray shared dais for the first time in two decades — an indication of the two parties joining hands for the local bodies polls.

Uddhav’s party could win just 20 seats in Assembly polls which includes his son Aaditya, who retained his Worli seat, while Raj could not open his account and his son and debutante Amit lost polls from Mahim.

The political messaging by Uddhav and Shinde is going to be significant as of local bodies elections in Maharashtra involves 29 municipal corporations, 257 municipal councils, 26 zilla parishads, 289 panchayat samitis would go to polls - which accounts for over 60 per cent of state’s population spread across the five geographical regions - Konkan, Western Maharashtra, North Maharashtra, Marathwada and Vidarbha - making it a sort of mini-Assembly polls, when over 60 per cent of state’s population will vote.

The floods across the state have done extensive damage to the standing crops and agricultural fields.

The opposition parties spearheaded by Uddhav have been demanding a blanket loan waiver and immediate help of Rs 50,000 per hectare.

The Thackeray cousins have scored a victory for cancellations of two GRs which made Hindi compulsory as the third language in primary schools as per the three-language formula of New Education Policy.

The unseasonal rain is also a challenge for the two rallies.

“In the past also during rain rallies of (undivided) Shiv Sena has been held in Shivaji Park…we will have our rally at Shivaji Park,” said Shiv Sena (UBT) chief spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member.

“We will be having the Shiv Sena rally at Azad Maidan as planned,” said Shiv Sena deputy leader Krishna Hegde.