"Shiv Sena Belongs To Eknath Shinde, Uddhav Thackeray Should...": Minister

Mr Athawale said the Shinde faction has the support of two-thirds of the Shiv Sena's elected representatives and workers.

Union minister Ramdas Athawale on Tuesday said the "real" Shiv Sena is the faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and only it has the "moral right" to hold the party's annual Dussehra rally in Mumbai's Shivaji Park.

Mumbai's civic body has said it had received applications from the Uddhav Thackeray and Shinde-led factions of the Shiv Sena to "book" the sprawling Shivaji Park for the party's Dussehra rally in October. 

The rally, arguably the most important event in the Shiv Sena's political calendar, has been taking place at Shivaji Park for several decades, but has two claimants this time due to a split in the Sena following a rebellion by Mr Shinde in June.

Speaking to reporters in Pune, Mr Athawale said the Shinde faction has the support of two-thirds of the Shiv Sena's elected representatives and workers, and expressed the hope the ruling camp will get decisions in its favour from the Election Commission and court in matters pending before them over the party symbol and other issues.