Shiv Sena to use golden jubilee celebration to sound campaign bugle

Mumbai, June 16 Shiv Sena will be staging a grand function on June 19 at the Goregaon NSE grounds here, showcasing its 50 years of political journey, ahead of the next year's civic polls.

The mega event, which will coincide with launch of a membership drive, is being seen as the party sounding its bugle for 2017 elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) which it is ruling for several years.

The main theme of the celebration will be contribution of the late Sena chief Bal Thackeray, a party release said. A film on Sena's 50 years in the Maharashtra politics will also be screened.

The party, part of ruling coalition in the state but with acrimonious relations with the ally BJP, would also showcase its drought-relief measures such as ShivjalaKranti Yojna in Marathwada and Balasaheb Thackeray Kanyadan yojna which helps farmers marry off their daughters.

It will also distribute e-Rickshaws to women from the farmer families in drought-hit Marathwada region.

The event will culminate with a speech by the party president Uddhav Thackeray.

PTI