Shinde, Uddhav factions to mark Shiv Sena foundation day on June 19 for first time since last year's split

The Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray factions are gearing up to celebrate on June 19 the foundation day of the Shiv Sena by organising events at two separate venues in Mumbai, both of which are likely to be marked by verbal duels to prove which is real inheritor of the mantle of founder late Bal Thackeray.

The Shiv Sena split in June last year after the rebellion of Shinde against then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and the party name and ‘bow and arrow’ symbol was allotted later to the former. The Thackeray faction was christened Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray).

It will be the first time the foundation day of the Shiv Sena will be celebrated since the split last year.