The Election Commission has decided to freeze the symbol of Shiv Sena before the by-poll in Andheri East Mumbai. In an interim order, the poll body had said the election symbol would be freeze amid widening rifts between the members of both the teams. The Election Commission has also asked both the Sena group to give alternate names.
Both CM Shinde and former CM Uddhav group have been trying to own the real identity of Shiv Sena and its party symbol of “bow and arrow” after division of the Balasaheb’s party in June. The Uddhav group had a smile on Dussehra when Bombay High Court allowed them to hold their traditional rally at historic Shivaji Park which they have been doing for decades.
Congress leader Kapil Sibal- reacting to the interim order- wrote in a tweet on Sunday, “Election Commission freezes Shiv Sena symbol. Amounts to “freezing” democracy. The ‘bow and arrow’ belongs to the real Shiv Sena led by Uddhav. The “Defectors Platter” for serving the BJP belongs to Shinde’s faction”.
The Congress was a part of the Uddhav Thackeray Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra, which collapsed in June after Shinde switched loyalities to the BJP and was later sworn in as the CM. Shinde not only revolted but also took more than 40 MLAs with him which completely dragged Uddhav-led government on knees and he was forced to resign.
NCP chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapane 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 cader led by Uddhav Thackeray has a deep rooted presence in political arena and Maharashtra and hence the new symbol will be given to Uddhav faction and will be immediately circulated. The Shiv Sena will win in the forthcoming by-election in Andheri and others too”.
The by-election was announced in Andheri East assembly seat after the death of Sena MLA Ramesh Latke. The Congress and the NCP are backing his wife Rujuta Latke as their candidate from Thackeray group.
image credits: Rediff.com
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