The Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena has won the first legal battle against the Eknath Shinde Sena. The Bombay High Court has allowed its Dussehra rally at the Shivaji Park—the iconic venue synonymous with the Bal Thackeray-founded party’s annual celebrations at which the Shiv Sainiks are given a political line. It will be interesting to hear what Uddhav Thackeray tells the party’s rank and file, in addition to what he has been saying since June and also last week at the office-bearers’ meeting in Goregaon.

Another aspect to be watched will be the number of audience the Thackeray group gets even while its competition has promised to break the record of gathering at the BKC ground where it has planned its Dussehra rally on the same evening. Though it has got the BKC venue, the Shinde group is upset over the rival group getting Shivaji Park. It has been trying to influence their group leader, CM Shinde, to allow them to appeal against the HC order in the Supreme Court, which will also be hearing power struggle petitions filed by the two factions on September 27. The Shinde group’s contention is that since the SC has not decided the real Shiv Sena, the HC’s order on the Dussehra rally can be contested in the Apex court.