Celebrations in Shinde Sena; victory of democracy, says CM

“The truth has emerged victorious today. This is the victory of democracy. This country runs on Constitution. We formed the government as per the law and Constitution. This is the victory of majority. This is the victory of thoughts of Hinduhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray,” Shinde said.

Shinde further stated that “this situation has come upon them” (Thackerays) because they “abandoned” the thoughts of Bal Thackeray and Anand Dighe. “You sold the thoughts of Balasaheb for power. You had kept the Bow and Arrow as a mortgage with the NCP and the Congress in 2019. It is a lesson and slap on their face for not following the path of Balasaheb Thackeray’s ideology for coming into power,” Shinde, who also visited Bal Thackeray’s memorial at Shivaji Park after the EC’s decision, said.

While Shinde termed it as the victory of democracy, Deputy CM and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said that the Sena leader’s journey on the path of “Sangharsh (struggle) and Satya (truth) shown by Hinduhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray” has given him the milestone achievement of party name Shiv Sena and the symbol of Bow and Arrow. “We have been saying from day one that the real Shiv Sena is with Eknath Shinde. Majority is an ultimate decider in democracy. Legislative majority decides everything,” Fadnavis said.

Jubilant over the EC decision, many Shinde group leaders said that this will further pave the way for their expansion.

Rahul Shewale, the south central Mumbai MP of Shinde-led Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena (BSS), said that many other Shiv Sainiks including corporators, offcer bearers and other elected representatives who are still with Uddhav Thackeray will join the “real Shiv Sena”, as has been recognised by the Election Commission of India.

A senior BSS leader from Mumbai said that a number of corporators and Shiv Sainiks had been waiting for the EC decision and now that it has been proven that “Shinde-led Sena is the real Shiv Sena,” there will be constant inflow of Shiv Sainiks in the party.

Having lost the name and symbol, the road ahead for Thackeray led Shiv Sena, political observers believe, will be difficult. There is likelihood of another defection that could include senior leaders, MLAs and cadre from the party, some of them said, adding it would further toughen the task of revival for Uddhav Thackeray.