Shiv Sena gears up to live stream their Dussehra rally

Every year, Dussehra is celebrated with a lot of fanfare in Maharashtra and Shiv Sena’s rally is the talk of the town. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, this year the celebrations cannot take place on the grand scale.

The anticipation from this rally was expectedly higher this year as this is the first time Thackeray would be speaking at the event as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

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Shiv Sena has announced that this will be keeping this rally as an online affair this year. Shiv Sainiks who are looking forward to hearing the CM speak will be able to do so via social media sites.

Sanjay Raut speaking to the media personnel said, “CM Uddhav Thackeray has appealed to people to follow the rules to contain coronavirus spread, the same rules apply to us. We have decided, as per the instructions of Uddhav Thackeray, that a stage of the Dussehra rally will be erected at Savarkar Memorial behind Shivaji Park. The rally will be streamed through Facebook, Twitter and news channels throughout the nation.”

Since they are putting together a stage and doing it in an open ground, the party is also toying with the idea of having select gathering at the event. Shedding light on the same, Raut mentioned, “We are thinking if some people from the party can be invited [at the venue]”.

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It is said that Thackeray’s speech will likely focus on the government’s achievements since it came to power in late 2019. “He will be speaking as the party chief. So, apart from his government’s achievements, he may speak on the political issues, including how to take on the Opposition,” a Sena leader said.

Shivaji Park as a venue has a special place in the minds of Shiv Sainiks and the party in general. Even CM Uddhav Thackeray’s oath-taking ceremony was organised at this very ground last year.

There is precedent for a Sena-organized Dussehra rally being cancelled altogether as witnessed in 2006 owing to the heavy rainfall and in 2009 during the lead up to the assembly elections. However, it’s highly unlikely that this year’s event will be affected in any way as it is expected to be a virtual event.