The rally is part of the party's Shiv Sampark Abhiyan.
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.
Uddhav Thackeray and the Shiv Sena have come under attack from the BJP and what the Shiv Sena describes as BJP's proxies, which includes the Chief Minister's estranged cousin Raj Thackeray who leads the MNS, and the Rana couple who were recently jailed for trying to create a disturbance.
While several attempts have been made to portray that the Sena has moved away from the ideals of Bal Thackeray, the Sena has consistently hit back saying it is firmly treading in the footsteps of its founder Bal Thackeray. At the rally, Uddhav Thackeray is expected to deliver a similar message.
The BMC elections will also be a test for Sena's gen-next Aaditya Thackeray who has been vocal in hitting out at his uncle Raj Thackeray's party Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the BJP.
When MNS workers played the Hanuman Chalisa outside the Sena Bhavan in Dadar, Aaditya Thackeray hit out by saying that they are trying to "revive their dead party". Earlier, when asked about political leaders needing a 'Hindutva' charging point with Maharashtra politicians making trips to Ayodhya where the Ram Temple is being built, he said, "Those who are already charged don't need a charging point. Those who need to revive themselves need a charging point. I will not talk about that though now. On the 14th (referring to the rally), the Chief Minister (Uddhav Thackeray) will talk about it."
Recently, while hitting back at the Rana couple, Uddhav Thackeray had said that he would not only remove his mask but also that of the Opposition in the rally while giving it a befitting reply. The posters inviting Sena supporters to the rally also have messages in a similar tone attacking the BJP & MNS. For example, one poster in the Worli area, which is Aaditya Thackeray's constituency, has the images of Bal Thackeray, Uddhav Thackeray, and Aaditya Thackeray, and reads, "We won't burn your homes, but we will ensure you are able to light a fire (chulha) in your homes." Another poster says, "Lord Ram is in our heart, and we will ensure your hands have work to do."