EC Blocks Shiv Sena’s Electoral Symbol

Mumbai: The Election Commission today (Saturday) declared that, until further notice, neither of the Shiv Sena factions would be permitted to use the party’s “bow and arrow” insignia. The choice was made four months after Eknath Shinde replaced Uddhav Thackeray as chief minister by reducing the Shiv Sena’s influence in the Maharashtra assembly.

Both groups must now select new names and symbols in accordance with the poll body’s interim directive. They will each receive a unique symbol, which they can pick from a list of available free symbols.

The order is a major setback for the Uddhav Thackeray faction, who will now have to use a different name and symbol in the impending bye-election in Mumbai’s Andheri East, . The Eknath Shinde coalition will not run in the Andheri East byelection.

The Uddhav Thackeray faction will now need to use a different name and emblem in the upcoming bye-elections in Mumbai’s Andheri East due to the symbol being blocked.

Both camps have been blaming one other for tarnishing Bal Thackeray’s reputation ever since the split in June.

This week at the significant Dussehra meeting, Mr. Shinde said: “Do you even have the moral right to be there and speak? You proceeded with Congress and the NCP while using Shiv Sainiks for your own selfish gain… You provided the NCP with the remote control that Balasaheb Thackeray used to run the government “.

Mr. Thackeray said that Mr. Shinde was a “traitor” who was trying to take control of the party out of “avarice” when he conducted a gathering at the usual location of Shivaji Park.

Meanwhile, The Thackeray group has asked the Supreme Court to intervene and prevent the election board from determining who the “genuine” Shiv Sena is.