The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in the run-up to the Maharashtra assembly elections, has decided to leverage Navratri by using the popular Dandiya dance as a platform to reach out to voters in Mumbai’s Kalachowki area — the core Shiv Sena belt.
For the third consecutive year, Mumbai BJP has organised the Grand Marathi Dandiya at Kalachowki in Abhyudaya Nagar. The event, which has gained significant popularity over the years, aims to bring together people from all walks of life to celebrate Navratri, while also offering a space for cultural and political engagement. This year, famous music director and singer Avdhoot Gupte and his team will entertain people at the event.
Speaking to News18, BJP’s Maharashtra treasurer Mihir Kotecha said: “This year’s Dandiya will run for seven days, two days longer than previous years, and will continue to feature free entry, as it has in the past. We are encouraging everyone to attend and enjoy the cultural extravaganza. We have made this platform for people who can come with friends and family and enjoy the festivities. The common man of Mumbai, who contributes to the growth of the city, has been kept at the centre of this event, and thus, we have made entry free.”
Kotecha emphasised that BJP was the first to introduce the concept of a Marathi Dandiya in Mumbai, which celebrates not just the traditional Navratri festival but also brings a local Marathi flavour to the event. Kotecha also informed that to make the event more exciting, a high-end branded phone has been set as the daily prize for the best-dressed male and female. The condition is that the attire must be traditional Maharashtrian. In case of a tie between male and female participants, both will be declared winners and both will receive high-end phones.
For the past three years, the BJP has organised this event at the same spot in Kalachowki, aiming to gain more traction in this Marathi-dominant area where Shiv Sena has always had the upper hand in terms of voting.
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