The city Congress chief of Mumbai, Varsha Gaikwad, has accused the Shiv Sena party of disrupting the Ram Leela tradition in order to make way for their Dasara rally. Gaikwad has written a letter to CM Eknath Shinde, condemning the move. However, Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Shirsat claims that the Ram Leela artists themselves decided to wrap up one day early and burn Ravan's effigy on October 23. The Shinde faction withdrew their application for the Dasara rally at Shivaji Park to avoid conflict with the Sena.