HC verdict is only about Dussehra rally venue, not who is 'real' Shiv Sena: Kesarkar

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Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will decide whether or not to move the Supreme Court against the Bombay High Court order allowing the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena to hold its Dussehra rally at Mumbai's Shivaji Park, said the rebel faction of the party on Friday.

Deepak Kesarkar, a spokesperson of the rebel Shiv Sena faction headed by Shinde, also said the HC ruling will have no bearing on petitions filed by the rival camps in the apex court.

Earlier in the day, the HC allowed the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena to hold its annual Dussehra rally at the iconic Shivaji Park ground in central Mumbai on October 5. For Thackeray's faction the development has a symbolic value as Shivaji Park is associated with the saffron outfit since its birth, and his group is locked in a tussle with the rebel camp to establish itself as the 'real' Shiv Sena.

Kesarkar, talking to reporters in Panaji, said the HC order is not about the Shiv Sena and it speaks only about the matter raised by the petitioner on using the ground in central Mumbai for a rally.

He said the Shinde group will have its own Dussehra rally at a venue to be decided by the chief minister.

Kesarkar, who is also a Cabinet minister, said the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) ground in suburban Mumbai is bigger than Shivaji Park and the Shinde group can hold its rally there.

The rebel faction has already got permission from authorities to use the BKC ground for its gathering on October 5.

"But the final decision on this would be taken by the chief minister," he said.

The spokesman said a wrong impression is being created that the HC verdict has recognized the other group (Thackeray faction) as the "original" Shiv Sena.

"This is not right. The verdict is only about the Dussehra rally," he said.

Kesarkar said whether or not to challenge the HC verdict before the Supreme Court would be decided by the chief minister.

"Till now, no decision has been taken on challenging the order. We will have to first examine the High Court order," he said.

Kesarkar challenged the Thackeray camp to announce its discontinuation of alliance with the Congress and the NCP at the rally if they are really bothered about the ideology propagated by Sena founder Bal Thackeray.

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