Principles more important than venue, says Maharashtra CM ahead of Dussehra rally, takes dig at Uddhav Thackeray

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde (Image: PTI/File)

Principles are important irrespective of the venue, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Monday ahead of the Dussehra rally by his faction as he took a dig at his rival and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray.

He asserted that his faction’s event on October 5, to be held at the MMRDA ground in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), a business district in suburban Mumbai, will be a success as lakhs of people are expected to attend the rally.

"I have visited the venue (in BKC) and the preparations are in full swing. Lakhs of people from across the state will come to the rally and all departments are working to ensure they don’t face any problem. Our preparations will get over tomorrow (Tuesday) and this rally will be a success,” Shinde told news channel NDTV.

The chief minister said his faction of the Shiv Sena is taking forward the ideals propounded by party founder late Bal Thackeray.

Principles are important irrespective of the ground (Dussehra rally venue). We are taking forward the ideas of Balasaheb Thackeray. Looking at the response, the people have accepted our decision (to part ways with the Thackerays for the Sena aligning with the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress), he said, referring to his rebellion in June that led to the collapse of the three-party Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

The Uddhav Thackeray faction will hold its own Dussehra rally at the iconic Shivaji Park in central Mumbai. The Shinde camp, too, had applied for allotment of the Shivaji Park for its rally, but the Bombay High Court allowed the Thackeray faction to hold its annual programme at the venue when the matter landed in the HC.