Overview
- The two rival Shiv Sena factions held separate Dussehra rallies on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, with Uddhav Thackeray speaking at Shivaji Park and Eknath Shinde addressing supporters at the NESCO Centre in Goregaon.
- Uddhav Thackeray used his Shivaji Park speech to call for 'regime change,' defend young protesters as 'revolutionaries,' demand ballot-paper voting and attack the BJP and the Election Commission for alleged voter-list irregularities.
- Eknath Shinde framed his NESCO rally around governance and relief, announcing that 100 tonnes of foodgrains had been dispatched to drought-hit farmers and urging cadres to prioritise on-the-ground aid over travelling to Mumbai.
- Both gatherings doubled as organisational tests: each side claimed strong turnout and used the event to mobilise cadres, set messaging for upcoming elections, and sharpen legal and symbolic fights over the party’s name and legacy.
- The split rallies revive a decades-old Shiv Sena ritual that now matters for voters because they blend immediate relief for farmers with escalating political polarisation that could shape who controls local delivery and party symbols.