After EC freezes Shiv Sena poll symbol, Eknath Shinde camp says it will continue to fight for it
The Election Commission’s interim order freezing the ‘bow and arrow’ election symbol of the Shiv Sena has come ahead of the high-stakes Andheri (East) Assembly by-poll to be held on November 3.
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The Shinde faction has cancelled all its tours on Sunday and will hold a meeting over the issue. (File)
While the Eknath Shinde-led faction is happy with the decision of the Election Commission of India to freeze the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol of the Shiv Sena, leaders from the Maharashtra chief minister’s camp said Saturday their next fight is to get the poll symbol for their camp.
The Election Commission’s interim order freezing the ‘bow and arrow’ election symbol of the Shiv Sena has come ahead of the high-stakes Andheri (East) Assembly by-poll to be held on November 3. The EC order also came days after the Supreme Court rejected the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena’s prayer to stay proceedings pending before the poll panel over a request by EknathShinde for recognition of his faction as the “real Shiv Sena” and permission to use the party’s ‘bow and arrow’ election symbol.
Eknath Shinde faction spokesperson Naresh Mhaske told the Indian Express, “The EC has been neutral. We want the bow and arrow as our symbol. We are consulting legal experts to get the bow and arrow as our symbol. Our fight will continue.”
Spokesperson Sheetal Mhatre said, “We are studying the decision. CM Eknath Shinde will take a decision. The EC has deeply thought before the decision. We are having a meeting on Saturday night to discuss our future course.”
Maharashtra Education Minister from the Shinde faction Deepak Kesarkar said, “We are real Shiv Sena and will present our case further and we will get justice.”
The Shinde faction has cancelled all its tours on Sunday and will hold a meeting over the issue.
Apart from Shiv Sena leaders, the constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) are also shocked.
NCP chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said, “We have received the copy of the interim order. We expected the symbol to be frozen, but in this case, the name has been frozen and this is a shocker to us. Nevertheless, the cadre led by Uddhav Thackeray has a deep-rooted presence in the political arena and Maharashtra and hence the new symbol will be given to the Uddhav Thackeray faction and will be immediately circulated. The Shiv Sena will win in the forthcoming by-election in Andheri and others too.”
Former CM and Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan said, “They wanted to finish the Shiv Sena so that all Hindutva votes will be with the BJP. This decision was expected and I think that the Uddhav family had expected it.”
MNS spokesperson Sandeep Deshpande said, “The Shiv Sena used to taunt us that we are a party that is at its end. Now, destiny has paid them off, their symbol and party name are frozen. Karma pays.”
BJP MLA and party in charge of the BMC polls, Atul Bhatkhalkar said, “It is an interim decision and this situation has arisen due to Uddhav Thackeray’s greed for power for himself and his family.”
Former MP Kirit Somaiya was also quite sharp in his criticism. He said, “Uddhav Thackeray’s Sena has lost everything. They first lost Hindutva, then the government. They have now lost the symbol and the party name. Now, they will lose the confidence of Maharashtra’s public.”
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