Mumbai: Shinde Sena pulls out of Dahi Handi events at Worli

MNS is also moving forward with its Dahi Handi event in Worli. File pic/Pradeep Dhivar

Worli is a hotbed of politics this festive season, especially in the constituency of former Shiv Sena minister Aaditya Thackeray. The area is abuzz with excitement for tomorrow's Dahi Handi celebration, as both the Uddhav Sena and the BJP have organised their own grand events to showcase their strength.

However, in a surprising twist, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Sena has decided at the last minute not to hold any Dahi Handi programmes in Worli, even though they had practised three times earlier in the year. Worli is a stronghold for Thackeray.

Recently, three more former corporators joined the Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Since last year, the BJP has been celebrating Dahi Handi in Worli at the famous Jambori Maidan, and this tradition continues this year. Aditya Thackeray's Yuva Sena is also gearing up for a major Dahi Handi celebration in Worli and another at Currey Road, as confirmed by Uddhav Sena MLC Sunil Shinde.

Datta Narvankar, a former corporator who joined the Shinde-led Shiv Sena without providing a specific reason, announced that they would not be organising a Dahi Handi event on Thursday. He stated, "We conducted three practise camps and rehearsal sessions, which received a tremendous response, but we have decided not to organise any Dahi Handi event on Thursday," he said.

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Santosh Pande, a BJP leader and organiser of the Parivartan Dahi Handi at Jambori Maidan in Worli, stated, "We have been organising festivals at Jambori Maidan since last year. This year too, we are celebrating Parivaratan Handi, and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other leaders are expected to attend the event tomorrow," he confirmed.

Meanwhile, the MNS is also moving forward with its Dahi Handi event in Worli and three locations in Dadar. Santosh Dhuri, an MNS leader, remarked, "We are celebrating this festival just like every year, and there is no change." Thackeray-led Shiv Sena will also organise Dahi Handi events at Dadar and Prabhadevi, while Shinde-led MLA Sada Sarwankar will organise a handi at Dadar as well.

3
No of Worli corporators who recently joined Shiv Sena