Sena gears up for first Dusshera rally without Bal Thackeray

Shiv Sena is gearing up for its first Dusshera rally, the most important event in the party's annual calender, without its founder-chief Bal Thackeray, who passed away in November last year.
Thackeray had been addressing the rally, organised in the historic Shivaji Park grounds in Dadar here, year after year ever since he founded the party over four decades ago.
The Sena patriarch would use the occasion to directly communicate with his party workers and people at large, and touch upon important issues of the day facing the State and also the country.
In Thackeray's absence, his son and party President Uddhav will guide the Shiv Sainiks at the October 13 rally. He will be closely watched by political observers to get a glimpse of direction he plans to give to the party in the absence of his father.

Uddhav is expected to speak on Sena's preparedness for the Lok Sabha polls and also on performance of the Congress- NCP Government, which is in power in the State since 1999. The State faces Assembly election in the second half of 2014.
"...Definitely the pain is there within us that Balasaheb Thackeray is not there. We cannot think of Dusshera rally without Balasaheb. However, Sena President Uddhav Thackeray will guide and motivate the Shiv Sainiks in the rally. He will also give direction to the party cadres," Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut told PTI today.

Raut ruled out any rift in the party and said all the leaders were united.

Asked about the poll preparations, he said, "We are prepared for the Lok Sabha elections. Our seats will definitely increase this time."
According to a Sena functionary, "People from across the State will descend at 'Shivtirth' (the name given to Shivaji Park by late Thackeray) for the rally."
Harshavardhan Jadhav, MLA from Kannad in Aurangabad district who quit Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena last year, is expected to join Shiv Sena at the rally.
"Yuva Sena (the youth wing), which is completing three years under the leadership of Aditya Thackeray (Uddhav's son), will present its report card on the occasion. Aditya will also address the people," the Sena functionary said.