Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction moved Delhi High Court seeking quashing of Election Commission order freezing party name and election symbol.
Amid the ongoing tussle between Eknath Shinde and Thackeray faction over Shiv Sena election symbol and party name, the Election Commission on October 8 barred both the groups from using the party name and its election symbol in the Andheri East assembly bye-election.
The poll panel issued the order and asked the Shinde and Thackeray factions to suggest by October 10 three name choices for their groups, and also as many free symbols.
“The Commission hereby makes the following Interim Order, to cover the purpose of the current by-elections and to continue till the final determination of the dispute into the matter,” the poll panel in its order said.
The EC passed its interim order as the Shinde faction group asked it to be allocated the symbol as the Andheri East assembly bypoll is approaching.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction expressed unhappiness and termed the EC’s decision as “injustice”.
Shiv Sena leader and former Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray lashed out at the Shinde faction and called them “Khokewale” traitors.
“Khokewale traitors committed this shameless and vile act of freezing the name Shiv Sena and symbol. We will fight and win. We are on the side of the truth. Satyamev Jayate!” Aaditya Thackeray tweeted in Marathi.
Acting on the EC order, the Thackeray faction submitted three symbols- a trident, burning torch, and rising Sun and as many alternative names for the party – Shiv Sena Balasaheb Thackeray, Shiv Sena Balasaheb Prabodhankar Thackeray, and Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray.
Reacting to the development, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said that a new party symbol could prove to be ‘revolutionary’.
