Election Commission allots Shiv Sena name, bow and arrow symbol to Shinde faction

Mangalore Today News Network

Mumbai, Feb 17, 2023: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday said the party name ’Shiv Sena’ and the party symbol of bow and arrow will be retained by the Eknath Shinde faction. The ECI said the Eknath Shinde faction was supported by MLAs with 76 per cent of the party’s winning votes in the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly polls. This was in contrast to the support for Uddhav Thakeray which amounted to just 23.5 percent.

Two factions emerged in the party when Eknath Shinde staged a coup in June 2022. The party was divided between the supporters of Uddhav Thackeray and Ekanth Shinde. Shinde’s coup led to the fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra and the dethroning of Uddhav Thackeray as the CM. Shinde was later sworn in as the Maharashtra Chief Minister with Devendra Fadnavis as his deputy.

BATTLE OVER ’REAL SHIV SENA’

The two sides have been at loggerheads with each other about being recognised as the ‘real Shiv Sena’. They had approached the Election Commission of India to stake claim over the party’s name and symbol.

In October 2022, the Election Commission froze the unified Shiv Sena’s bow and arrow symbol and gave different names and symbols to the two factions. The Shinde faction was given the name Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena (Balasaheb’s Shiv Sena) with two swords and shields as the party symbol. Meanwhile, the Uddhav faction was given the name ShivSena – Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray and the mashaal as its symbol.

The ECI now froze the name and symbol given to the Shinde faction and allowed the Uddhav faction to retain the name and symbol that was allotted in October.

The final hearing over the ownership of the Shiv Sena’s bow and arrow symbol took place in January.

In its final submission before the Election Commission, the Uddhav faction cited the constitution of the Shiv Sena and argued that the party chief is the highest post with powers to make appointments, suspensions and dismissals of a member. On the other hand, the Shinde faction said it has the support of many Sena leaders, deputy leaders, communication chiefs, state chiefs, district chiefs, MLAs, MPs and mayors.

The Election Commission’s final decision came on Friday.

While the news will be a cause of celebration for the Shinde camp, it will be a major blow to the Uddhav faction as the party was founded by Uddhav Thackeray’s father, the late Bal Thackeray.

The ECI’s announcement also comes before the Kasba and Chinchwad by-elections. The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections are also expected to take place this year.

Courtesy: India Today