Mumbai: Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray faction has been allowed the flaming torch as its election symbol by the Election Commission. Shiv Sena is the name given to the party by the Election Commission. Bala Sahebji gave the name Shiv Sena to the Shinde’s party.
The commission refused to allow the trident, the rising sun and the mace as symbols for the Thackeray sect. It was refused on the ground that these were not in the list of independent symbols.
Meanwhile, the commission has not yet taken a decision on the symbol of the Eknath Shinde faction. The commission has asked the Shinde camp to provide a list of three new symbols by the 11th of this month.
After the arrow and bow symbol was frozen, Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray side submitted new names and symbols to the Election Commission ahead of the Andheri East by-elections. Two symbols, Trishul and Rising Sun, were submitted for recognition. The names of Shiv Sena Balasaheb Thackeray and Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray were also submitted.
A dispute arose between the Uddhav Thackeray-Eknath Shinde factions over the symbol. Following this, the Election Commission has frozen Shiv Sena’s symbol of arrow and bow. The Election Commission then instructed both groups to submit a list containing three names and symbols.
