Fun - Shiv Vada

Fast food giant to sponsor Shiv Vada festival, party says joint venture likely too

MUMBAI: Has the Shiv Sena managed a culinary coup? After shouting hoarse that it wanted to promote the vada pav as the answer to the burger, the party is now planning a tie-up with McDonalds to sponsor its vada pav festival in September.

If party officials are to be believed, the party could also join hands with the fast food giant to promote its vada pav brand 'Shiv Vada'. “Uddhavji is holding talks with McDonalds for a possible joint venture. If the talks are successful, we will be able to sell Shiv Vada at McDonalds outlets all over the world,” Shiv Vada vendors' organisation chief Sanjay Gurav told DNA.

Gurav's claims, however, could not be confirmed with McDonalds as no company official was available for comment. However, Sena mouthpiece Saamna on Sunday reported that the party's chief executive Uddhav Thackeray had met McDonalds’s chief managing director Amit Jetiya to discuss a possible joint venture.

The party says the purpose of its vada pav festival is to finalise the official formula for Shiv Vada.

“We will invite 30 to 50 well-known vada pav vendors for the festival and ask them to prepare vada pav. The best preparation will become the official recipe of the Shiv Vada,” said Gurav.

Though a venue has not yet been finalised for the festival, Gurav said the panel of judges would comprise celebrity chefs, film stars and party MPs.

According to Gurav more than 100 vendors have registered with the organisation to sell Shiv Vada. The vendors have been given uniforms and a stall, which will be the identity of the Shiv Vada vendors' association.

When he floated the idea of Shiv Vada in May, Bal Thackeray had drawn flak from
home minister RR Patil who said it would spoil the image of Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji. But Thackeray had taunted him saying, “If you can accept Sambhaji bidi then why not Shiv Vada.”

Shiv Vada had become the main issue in the Thane by-election which the Sena won.