INDIA: Huge setback for former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray as the Election Commission of India (ECI) recognised the Eknath Shinde’a faction’ Shiv Sena’ as the authentic party and alloted it the symbol of ‘bow and arrow’.
According to the ECI, the current Maharashtra CM’s faction was supported by MLAs, with 76 per cent of the party’s winning votes in the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly polls, whereas Uddhav Thackeray just achieved 23.5 per cent.
Thackeray has been fighting for the party’s identity since last year amid Eknath Shinde’s selection as a CM. He even stepped back from most lawmakers of the party.
Thus, Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena MP from Thackeray’s team, strongly condemned the announcement and said, “We don’t have faith in the Election Commission because such a conclusion was anticipated.”
Last year, Uddhav Thackeray submitted a plea to the Delhi High Court to overrule the Election Commission. But, the plea was dismissed by the court. Shinde and Thackeray earlier had filed joint written statements in support of their claims over the party’s name and symbol with the poll body.
However, it’s big news for the Shiv Sena party, and CM Eknath Shinde. He said, “I give the Election Commission my gratitude. Democracy is based on majority rule. The legacy of [Shiv Sena founder] Balasaheb Thackeray has triumphed with this. The true Shiv Sena is ours.”
The protracted conflict between the two finger heads came to an end when the ECI assigned the “two swords and shield” insignia to the Eknath Shinde side and the “flaming torch” mark to the Uddhav Thackeray group.
As per reports, the former Chief Minister’s team will challenge the decision in the Supreme Court.
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