In a big win for the Eknath Shinde camp, the Election Commission of India (ECI) allotted the Shiv Sena symbol to the group. The ECI said that the party name “Shiv Sena” and the symbol “Bow and Arrow” will be retained by the Shinde faction. Notably, both Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray factions were fighting for the party name and the symbol since Shinde became the chief minister of Maharashtra in June last year.
The commission stated that the current constitution of the party is undemocratic. “The constitution of political parties ought to provide for free, fair and transparent elections to the posts of office bearers and a further free and fair procedure for the resolution of internal disputes. These procedures ought to be difficult to amend and should be amendable only after ensuring larger support of the organisational members for the same,” the ECI said.
Thackeray faction leader and spokesperson Anand Dubey expressed disappointment over the decision. Dubey said that the EC had taken the decision in a haste. He added that the matter is still pending in the Supreme Court. Dubet called ECI an “agent of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Meanwhile, Thackeray camp leader Sanjay Raut said that the ECI’s decision killed democracy. Raut alleged that the development showed that money played an important role in the decision.
“We submitted 20 lakh member forms and 4 lakh affidavits, and still, they recognized them. What’s the rush if the Supreme Court is hearing the case?,” said Arvind Sawant. BJP leader Kirit Somaiya said that Hindutva has won.Notably, Shinde camp has majority of Shiv Sena MLAs. Recently, Thackeray in a press conference had said that he wanted the EC should a decision over the matter after the Supreme Court’s verdict. After the EC’s order, many Shiv Sainiks who were earlier confused as to which side they should move might join the Shinde camp.
Last year in October, the ECI had frozen the bow and arrow symbol of the Shiv Sena. The commission had alloted the “Two Swords and Shield symbol” to the Shinde faction of Shiv Sena and the “flaming torch” election symbol was allotted to the Uddhav Thackeray faction for the bypoll in Andheri East assembly constituency in November last year.
In June last year, Shinde claiming the support of 40 Shiv Sena MLAs joined hands with the BJP. The Maha Vikas Agadhi government led by Uddhav Thackeray was toppled in the state. Shinde became the CM of Maharashtra, while Devendra Fadnavis took charge as the Deputy CM of the state
