No MNS or Sena (UBT) Rally at Shivaji Park on November 17

Mumbai: Neither the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena nor the Shiv Sena (UBT) headed by his estranged cousin Uddhav Thackeray would hold a rally at Shivaji Park here on November 17. Both the parties had applied for permissions to hold rallies at the famous ground on the same day ahead of the November 20 Maharashtra assembly elections.

"I have not got the permission yet, and have only one and a half days in hand before the meeting. Holding a rally in one and a half days is difficult," Raj Thackeray said, adding that he would instead visit assembly segments in Mumbai and Thane to campaign for MNS candidates.

Subsequently during the day, the poll body in a release said it has allowed the MNS to hold its rally, but party sources said it was not possible to make necessary arrangements at this stage.

Campaigning would end at 5 pm on November 18.

Elsewhere, Sena (UBT) secretary Vinayak Raut said his party will hold a rally at the MMRDA ground in Bandra-Kurla Complex on November 17, the death anniversary of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray. Undivided Shiv Sena held its annual Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park for several decades.