EC recognises Eknath Shinde-led faction as real Shiv Sena, allocates 'bow and arrow' symbol

EC said MLAs backing Eknath Shinde got nearly 76 per cent of votes polled in favour of the 55 winning Shiv Sena candidates in the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly polls

Eight months after the 56-year-old Shiv Sena underwent a vertical split, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday allotted the name “Shiv Sena” and the election symbol “bow and arrow” to the faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in what comes as a jolt to Uddhav Thackeray.

The Thackeray-led group is set to move the Supreme Court to challenge the ECI verdict.

"This is the victory of people, this is the victory of democracy, it is the victory of majority. This is the victory of ideals of ‘Hindudrudaysamrat’ Balasaheb Thackeray and ‘Dharmaveer’ Anand Dighe,” Shinde said. According to him, he has the majority and in a democracy, it is the number that matters.

While Shinde is the petitioner in the ‘Dispute case 1 of 2022’, Thackeray is the respondent.

The ECI order has been signed by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and the two Election Commissioners - Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel.

The ECI, its order said, “…The party name “Shiv Sena” and party symbol “bow and arrow” will be retained by the petitioner faction.”

After the June 2022 split and ahead of the bypolls to the Andheri East seat, Shinde had petitioned the ECI for the name symbol, which was vehemently opposed by Thackeray.

Subsequently, it froze the name “Shiv Sena” and “dhanushya baan” election symbol and allotted ‘Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray’ as the party name for the Thackeray group and 'Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena’ for the Shinde faction. They were given ‘mashaal’ (flaming torch) and ‘dhal-talwar’ (two swords and shield) symbols, respectively.

Reacting to the development, Shinde’s son and Kalyan MP Dr Shrikant Shinde said, “It's a heartening development. Shinde saheb has the support of over two-third of MPs and MLAs, members of Zilla Parishads and Gram Panchayats and party workers and leaders at the ground level.”

A rattled Shiv Sena chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said, “Democracy has been murdered. Money has flowed like water. We will take the matter before the people’s court. We will fight the legal battle as well. We will raise the real Shiv Sena from the ground yet again.”

Veteran Shiv Sena leader Chandrakant Khaire said that the Shiv Sena would move the Supreme Court against the ECI order. “We are with Uddhav ji,” he said.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the verdict is based on numbers and facts. “A party cannot be a personal property,” Fadnavis said. Asked about Raut’s reactions, he said, “If the verdict is in their favour, it would be ‘free and fair’ else it is otherwise.”

State BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule said, “Satyamev Jayate…the judgment is historic…we congratulate Shinde saheb.”

“This is the award to the true Shiv Sena workers. It is now proven that Shiv Sena is not a family. It is an extremely happy occasion,” senior BJP leader and Union MSME Minister Narayan Rane said.