The Shiv Sena held its 60th Dussehra rally on Tuesday (October 20, 2026), with the Uddhav Thackeray (UBT) faction organising it in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park in Dadar, while the Eknath-Shinde-led faction held the rally at NESCO in Goregaon. Party supporters from various districts of Maharashtra participated, with senior party supporters still chanting “Thackeray is Mumbai, Thackeray is Maharashtra.”

Rising Crimes Remains a Major Concern

Speaking to The Hindu, several participants of the rally raised concerns about rising criminal activities in the State. “It’s happening in Mumbai, it’s happening in Thane. It was Purnekar last month. It was Tiger Shroff yesterday. Tomorrow it will be the common man like you and I,” a party supporter from Jalgaon taluka, who requested anonymity, said.

Participants also raised concerns about farmers’ plights, unemployment, and rising inflation, stating that the State government and officials had fallen short of supporting the poorest of the poor sections of society and had not delivered on the promises they had made.

Supporters Look Beyond Party Lines

Amid rising political dissent against the State and union governments, rally participants said that the party (Shiv Sena-UBT) will continue to support those who stand with the people. “We stand by the cockroaches (Cockroach Janata Party) and officials like Tukaram Mundhe, IAS. The government has let the rich get richer, and the poor remain poor,” said Anil Nagnath Vyavahare, 65, who was attending the rally.

Participants also noted that the officials in authority and those in power have still not delivered justice to the students who faced paper leaks in the MPSC, UPSC, and NEET examinations. They said that if the government continues to support gangster activities and tries to manipulate the Indian Constitution and its judiciary, it will soon lose its power, and in the next election, the people will choose those who understand them and stand for their betterment.