INDIA bloc rally at Shivaji Park is black day for Shiv Sena: Maha CM Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said the INDIA bloc rally at Mumbai's Shivaji Park, a venue from where Balasaheb Thackeray often addressed the country, was a black day for the Shiv Sena.

Shivaji Park has traditionally been the venue for rallies and gatherings of the Shiv Sena.

Rahul Gandhi is ending his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra with a rally at Shivaji Park and it will be a show of strength for the INDIA bloc, with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and SP chief Akhilesh taking part in it.

On his arrival at the venue, Gandhi paid floral tributes to the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and visited the memorial of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackray and paid his respects.

The last rally of the Congress at the venue was addressed by Sonia Gandhi in 2003.

Speaking to reporters, Shinde said, "It is a black day for the Shiv Sena, as Shivaji Park is the venue from where Balasaheb addressed the country and today you (Udddhav) are sharing the stage with Rahul Gandhi who insulted Savarkar."

Reacting to Shiv Sena's remarks that Balasaheb would not have wanted the party to become Congress, Sena (UBT) leader Sachin Ahir said, Balasaheb also did not want the Shiv Sena to become a BJP.