New Delhi. Ahead of the by-elections to the Andheri East assembly seat of Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray faction has sent its reply to the Election Commission in a dispute related to the party’s name and symbol. The Uddhav Thackeray faction has bluntly told the Election Commission that Eknath Shinde has left Shiv Sena on his own volition, so they have no claim about his name and election symbol. Earlier, the Eknath Shind faction had claimed the party’s name and symbol, following which the commission asked the Thackeray faction to file its reply by Saturday.
A day before the deadline, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray sent a reply to the Election Commission on Friday itself. In this, the Thackeray faction has claimed its authority over the Shiv Sena. In this response, Uddhav Thackeray has said that Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde along with other rebel Shiv Sena MLAs has already left the party voluntarily. In such a situation, he cannot talk about his right regarding the election symbol of the party.
It is being told that to strengthen its claim on the party, the Uddhav Thackeray faction has also decided to file an affidavit with the support of more than five lakh party office bearers and members. A lawyer for the Thackeray faction says that so far 2.5 lakh affidavits have been received, while three lakh more are being prepared at Sena Bhawan in Mumbai. All these are planned to be submitted by next week.
Significantly, in view of the by-election to the Andheri East assembly seat, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday wrote a letter to the Election Commission to stake claim on the Shiv Sena’s election symbol Dhanush and Arrow. However, BJP will contest on behalf of the ruling alliance in Andheri seat. But Shinde had said that the Uddhav Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena can use the Shiv Sena’s election symbol if the commission does not take any decision.
In a letter to the Election Commission, the Shinde faction has said – In view of the upcoming assembly elections in Maharashtra, it is necessary to settle this dispute over the symbol. Because the Uddhav Thackeray faction will claim the Shiv Sena symbol for its candidates. Significantly, both the Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde factions are claiming to be the real Shiv Sena and both have claimed the bow and arrow symbol. The Supreme Court has asked the Election Commission to decide the matter.
