July 29, 2025 11:47 am (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
You'll remain sitting there for next 20 years: Amit Shah slams Opposition amid Op Sindoor debate in LS | 'No calls between Modi and Trump from April 22 to June 17': Jaishankar rejects US Prez's ceasefire claim | Operation Mahadev: Three terrorists killed in gunfight in Srinagar's Lidwas | 'We are surprised': Supreme Court puts on hold Calcutta HC order that stayed Bengal govt's OBC list | 'I feel sad to support such a govt': Chirag Paswan slams Bihar administration after woman 'gang-raped' in Bodh Gaya | Bihar woman gang-raped in moving ambulance after she fell unconscious during Home Guard Test | Operation Sindoor still on, preparedness level should be high: CDS Anil Chauhan | PM Modi tops list of global leaders with 75 percent approval rating, Donald Trump languishes at 8th place | President Murmu, PM Modi pay tributes to martyrs' on Kargil Vijay Diwas | Jagdeep Dhankar's resignation: Election Commission initiates steps for Vice President elections
Shiv Sena

In big setback for Uddhav Thackeray, EC recognizes Shinde faction as real Shiv Sena, allots party symbol

| @indiablooms | Feb 18, 2023, at 02:37 am

Mumbai/UNI: In a major setback to Uddhav Thackeray, the Election Commission of India (ECI) Friday recognised the Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's faction as the real Shiv Sena and allowed them to use the traditional party symbol of bow and arrow.

In a 78-page order, the commission said Shinde, who became Chief Minister 8 months back after the revolt, was supported by MLAs with 76 per cent of the party's winning votes in the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly polls.

The EC allowed the faction led by Uddhav Thackeray, whose father Bal Thackeray founded the Shiv Sena in 1966, to keep the 'flaming torch' poll symbol allotted last year.

Reacting to the decision, Uddhav Thackeray said: "This order is a murder of democracy."

"They have stolen the Shiv Sena symbol. We will keep fighting and won't lose hope. For now, let Shinde be happy with his theft. Once a traitor, always a traitor," Thackeray said.

Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena MP from Thackeray's team, said, "Such a decision was expected. We don't have faith in the Election Commission."

Meanwhile, Shinde said "I thank the Election Commission. The majority counts in democracy. This is the victory of Balasaheb [Thackeray]'s legacy. Ours is the true Shiv Sena," Shinde said.

"We had a big struggle," Shinde added emotionally.

Following his rebellion in June last year, when Eknath Shinde flew away with most lawmakers of the party with the help of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), eventually ousting Uddhav Thackeray's state government, the two sides have been fighting for the party's identity.

Later, the Election Commission froze the bow-and-arrow symbol of the Shiv Sena and allotted the 'two swords and shield' symbol to the Eknath Shinde faction and the 'flaming torch' symbol to the Uddhav Thackeray camp.

In November last year, Thackeray requested the Delhi High Court to overrule the Election Commission. However, the plea was dismissed by the court.

Last month, the factions led by Shinde and Thackeray filed their written statements in support of their claims over the party's name and symbol with the poll body.

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Close menu