According to reports by several media channels, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has allotted the symbol of Mashal (Torch) to the Uddhav Thackeray group of Shiv Sena for the upcoming Andheri bypoll. The poll body also allowed Uddhav Thackeray group to use name ‘Shiv Sena- Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray’, one of the three suggestions provided by the group to the EC.
The dissenting Shinde faction has been given the name “Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena’ (Balasaheb’s Shiv Sena). The EC has asked the Shinde group for three suggestions regarding their symbol.
The decision came after both the rival faction had submitted their choices regarding symbol and names for their respective groups. Earlier, the EC had frozen the original symbol of Bow and Arrow allotted to the Shiv Sena after the clash between two groups reached the top poll body.
Eknath Shinde and around 40 MLAs had rebelled in June this year against their party chief Uddhav Thackeray, objecting to the party’s alliance with the Congress and NCP. It led to fall of the MVA government in Maharashtra, leading to the resignation of then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. The Shinde group then went on to form a government with the BJP. Shinde took over as chief minister. Since then, the Shinde group has claimed that they are the real Shiv Sena and are preserving party founder Bal Thackeray’s legacy.
(This is a developing story and will be updated soon…)
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