Uddhav Thackeray group is the real Shiv Sena, says NCP

Mumbai, Oct 03: The Uddhav Thackeray group is the "real" Shiv Sena though the decision is pending with the Election Commission and two rallies are being organised on Dussehra day by rival factions, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) said on Monday.

The Sharad Pawar-led party is of the view that the real Shiv Sena carries the ideas of the party founder the late Bal Thackeray, which is Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena, said party spokesperson Mahesh Tapase.

"Two Dussehra rallies will be held this year. One is of tradition, loyalty, self-respect and ideas of Balasaheb (Thackeray) which means the one led by Uddhav Thackeray. Even though the decision on which is the real Shiv Sena is pending with the Election Commission, the real Shiv Sena is the one that has the ideas of Balasaheb (Thackeray) which means it is the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena," he said in a video statement.

In a setback for Thackeray, the Supreme Court last week allowed the EC to go ahead with hearing the Eknath Shinde group's plea seeking recognition as the real' Shiv Sena and allocation of the party's bow-and-arrow poll symbol to it.

The Thackeray-led faction is scheduled to hold a rally at Shivaji Park in Mumbai, while the group led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has booked the MMRDA grounds at the Bandra Kurla Complex for the October 5 congregation.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar and top leaders of the party have been backing the Thackeray-led faction since the split in Shiv Sena.

The Thackeray-led Sena is one of the three members of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

The MVA government collapsed in June this year following the rebellion by 39 MLAs of Shiv Sena led by Shinde.