The two Shiv Sena factions led by Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray celebrated the party's foundation day at separate events here on Monday.

The Shiv Sena was founded by Bal Thackeray, a political cartoonist on June 19, 1966 which had the pride of 'Marathi manoos' as its core value.

The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) celebrated the foundation day at Shanmukhanand Hall at Sion in central Mumbai. Whereas, Shinde faction of Shiv Sena celebrated it at the NESCO ground in Goregaon in northwest Mumbai.

Both the factions have now been trying to claim the mantle of the 'true inheritor' of party founder late Bal Thackeray's legacy ahead of the next year's Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly elections as well as the long-due civic polls in Mumbai.

Even after almost a year of separation, the two factions have been trying to establish themselves as the 'true inheritor' of founding head late Bal Thackeray's legacy. Both of these parties have been trying to pull masses towards their respective parties ahead of upcoming Lok Sabha elections and Maharashtra Assembly elections.

It has been a year since Shiv Sena split into two after 40 MLAs including Eknath Shinde rebelled and split from the Shiv Sena and hence toppled the Maha Vikas Aghadi government of the Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and Congress.

In the new government, Shinde became the chief minister with the support of BJP. Also, the Election Commission granted his faction the original party name and party's symbol of 'bow and arrow'. Following which the faction led by Uddhav Thackeray came to be known as Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray).

(Edited by : Keshav Singh Chundawat)