Review of Thackeray v/s Shinde Dussehra Rally.
90 minutes of speech by CM Eknath Shinde definitely was a bit stretched, I felt! People were seen leaving the MMRDA ground and even the likes of Deepak Kesarkar and Shambhuraj Desai were seen taking naps while CM SHinde addressed the gathering. But overall even if the speech was long, it was an appeal, appeal filled only with emotions. Now if ‘Maharashtra Times’ a credible newspaper says that the crowd of Shivaji park where Uddhav Thackeray held his rally was EQUAL to that of CM Eknath Shinde’s rally held at the BKC MMRDA grounds, it is time for Uddhav Thackeray to rework his future course of direction for his his party. Reason being, NCP and Congress had come out in full open to support the rally of Uddhav Thackeray by bannering all over, whereas it is unknown if BJP Mumbai/Maharashtra really took any interest to pull crowds for Shinde’s Dussehra rally. Personally I don’t think BJP helped in getting crowds for Shinde camp. Whatever the crowd was paid, unpaid, Shinde has proved that today at least, he has an upper hand over Uddhav Thackeray in terms of crowd pulling and support behind him. Just imagine what if BJP had put their efforts to pull crowd for Shinde yesterday?
On the other hand if Uddhav Thackeray’s speech wasn’t too long, it did not have any content also. Zero. In fact, just few days ago when Uddhav Thackeray spoke to his party leaders at Goregaon, many of the points said then matched yesterday’s speech. But one thing which stood out was Uddhav Thackeray’s ‘attitude’. In this rally especially, he appeared very confident, angry and ready to take on types. But since he does not have many things to brag about, it led to criticising more rather than boasting his works when he was the CM. Not once, does he even feel like talking about roads of Mumbai? Strange! One more point of observation was Uddhav’s focal point of attack of late has been HM Amit Shah for quite sometime now. After addressing him as Afzal Khan, it is evident that Uddhav is determined to take head on whom I refer to as the ‘Chanakya’ of the BJP. Mr. Uddhav, It won’t be taken lightly by HM Amit Shah too, as, in the entire country the opposition might attack the PM Modi in their speeches, but attacking Amit Shah is something new. Not a good strategy when the country’s agencies are in ‘sync’ with the Centre directly and we have the likes of Patankar and Anil Parab walking on a thin line. But a strategy is a strategy. All consequences must be well thought off!
For me CM Eknath SHinde won the war when his stage was filled with family of Late Shri Balasaheb Thackeray namely Jaidev Thackeray, Smita Thackeray, Advocate Nihar Thackeray and Champa Singh Thapa and Moreshwar Raje. Most of you must be knowing the first 3 owing to the Thackeray surname, but the later two are the ‘real sainiks’. Both of them were Late Shri Balasaheb’s shadow. If these two have left Uddhav camp, really Uddhav Thackeray needs a lot of thinking to do. Also for information, people such as Raje and Thapa never had any political intentions or ambitions. They were at Matoshri for so many years purely for the love for Balasaheb. Even they have left now!
Uddhav Thackeray’s speech and anger towards the grandson of CM Shinde could have been avoided. On social media, a lot of fun was made that CM Shinde made his speech as he was reading and talking. My dear friends, understand one thing, Eknath Shinde is not a orator like a FAdnavis or a Ajit Pawar or a Dhananjay Munde. He understands work and gets the job done. He is like that typical Karyakarta who has risen to the top. Have you people seen his work load? This man works not less than 18 to 20 hours every single day. He does not have that time to write down and get prepared even in the car as his car is also full with people. But one thing I would like to point out, is that yesterday CM Shinde lacked explaining his works done since he became the CM and also what is in store for the future of our state. Again and again he kept on emphasising Uddhav and related issues, which are OK once, but henceforth development, Maharashtra, what is Centre doing for our state, should be his core agenda to talk. Rest it was master stroke to keep a chair empty in the name of Balasaheb Thackeray…. but then it would have been more appropriate if one was kept for Late Anand Dighe too.
From the Uddhav camp, I felt Sushma Andhare came out as an outstanding orator amongst all present there. Likes of Neelam Gorhe and Priyanka Chaturvedi should take her as serious competition. If given right guidance by Uddhav Thackeray she can overtake these two in no time.
Rest, one more day one more Dussehra gone! Traffic in Mumbai was fantastic and special mention needs to be done for Mumbai Police. To control approx 2 lakhs of people on road in a radius of 5 to 6 kms was just amazing. Take a bow!
Vikrant Hemant Joshi.
