The Shiv Sena had an edge over political rival Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on the streets of Mumbai and Thane, when it came to showcasing its govinda brigade. While the MNS tried to step into the celebrations with a handful of young turks, it was forced to take a backseat. This established Sena’s position as the original proponent of the dahi handi festival.
As expected, NCP did provide tough competition; the Bharatiya Janata Party also made enough noise. In the suburbs, the surprise was the presence of the Swabhiman Sanghatana headed by Nitesh Rane. The younger son of state revenue minister Narayan Rane appears to have raised an independent brigade which dotted the city.
So why did the MNS lag behind? A senior Congress leader quipped: “Was it a tactical decision to keep off the crowd? Or did the Congress fail to provide them required support by offering their govindas?”
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