The Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde factions of the Shiv Sena have formally submitted to the Election Commission their choice of three symbols and names each after the party's 'bow and arrow' symbol was frozen by the poll panel. Sources in the poll panel confirmed that the alternative symbols and names have been submitted by both factions. The EC will now examine them to ensure that the symbols sought by them are not similar and not being used by any other party. Also, the symbols submitted should not be already frozen. Asked if the EC can allocate the submitted symbol even if it is not from the list of 'free symbols' available with the EC but fulfils the other conditions, a former EC functionary replied in the affirmative. "The allocation of a symbol is the prerogative of the Commission. In such cases, it may allocate the symbol which is not in the list of free symbols available with the state chief electoral officer," the former functionary explained. On Saturday, the EC had
A day after EC froze the 'Bow and Arrow' symbol of Shiv Sena barring both the rival factions in the party from using it in upcoming Andheri East Assembly bypolls, Thackeray lambasted rival Shinde camp
The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction has submitted to the Election Commission its three options of a trident, rising sun or mashaal (burning torch) for its poll symbol, sources said on Sunday. The Election Commission had on Saturday barred the Shiv Sena factions led by former chief minister Thackeray and present Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde from using the party name and its election symbol 'bow & arrow' in the Andheri East Assembly bypoll scheduled on November 3. In an interim order over claims by the rival factions for control of the organisation, the commission asked them to suggest by Monday three different name choices and also as many free symbols for allocation to their respective groups. A source from the Thackeray faction said, The Sena has submitted three options as an alternative before the Election Commission - a trident, rising sun or a burning torch, also known as mashaal in Marathi and Hindi languages." The Thackeray camp has also given some options for its ...
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said the Shiv Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will "succeed" when the Election Commission of India takes a final decision on proprietary over the party name and election symbol. Speaking to reporters here, Fadnavis said he was not surprised at the Election Commission's interim decision on Saturday barring the Shiv Sena factions led by Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde from using the party name and its election symbol 'bow and arrow' in the bypoll to Andheri East Assembly seat in Mumbai scheduled on November 3. The ECI has taken the decision as per its laid down procedure, the senior BJP leader said. "I think when the ECI takes the final decision on the claims made by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray on proprietary over the Shiv Sena name and symbol, CM Shinde will succeed," he added. Maharashtra minister Deepak Kesarkar said, "We have the majority as maximum MLAs and MPs are with the c
The Nationalist Congress Party on Sunday said the Election Commission's order on the use of the Shiv Sena party name and election symbol in an upcoming Assembly bypoll was surprising, but it did not mean the Uddhav Thackeray-led group was weak or demoralised. The Election Commission on Saturday barred the Shiv Sena factions led by former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and current Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde from using the party name and its election symbol in the Andheri East Assembly bypoll. In an interim order over the claims by the rival factions for control of the organisation, the commission asked them to suggest by Monday three different name choices and also as many free symbols for allocation to their respective groups. The bypoll to Andheri East Assembly seat in suburban Mumbai, scheduled on November 3, has been necessitated due to the death of incumbent Sena MLA Ramesh Latke. The Congress and the NCP have decided to support Ramesh Latke's wife Rujuta Latke, the candidat
A day after the EC froze the symbol of Shiv Sena amid a tussle between the two factions of the party, Kapil Sibal slammed the move, saying that it amounts to "freezing democracy"
The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena on Saturday termed the Election Commission's order barring both the Thackeray and Eknath Shinde factions from using the party name and election symbol in the coming Andheri East Assembly bypoll as "injustice". The group led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, on the other hand, termed the EC order appropriate. The poll body should have holistically taken a decision rather than passing an interim decision for the bypoll, said Ambadas Danve, Leader of the Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Council, a Thackeray loyalist. "This is injustice," he told PTI. Shiv Sena leader and former minister Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday lashed out at the rebel Sena leaders after the EC order. "Khokewale" traitors committed this shameless and vile act of freezing the name Shiv Sena and symbol", he tweeted, adding that the people of Maharashtra would not tolerate it. "We will fight and win. We are on the side of the truth. Satyamev Jayate!" he said in the
The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena on Saturday termed the Election Commission's order barring the rival factions of the party from using the party name and election symbol in the Andheri East assembly bypoll as "injustice." The poll body should have taken a decision in a holistic manner rather than passing an interim decision for the bypoll, said Ambadas Danve, Leader of the Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Council who owes allegiance to the Thackeray group. This is injustice, he told PTI. As per the EC's interim order, both the Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde factions would not be able to use the party name and election symbol in the bypoll in Mumbai on November 3. The commission asked them to suggest by Monday three name choices for their groups, and also as many free symbols. The Commission can allocate the name and the symbol to both factions from the options submitted.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on freedom fighter V D Savarkar and asked whether Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray supports such a statement. Talking to reporters, Fadnavis said Rahul Gandhi didn't know the history of India and the Congress. In a media interaction on Saturday, Rahul Gandhi said Savarkar used to get a stipend from the British and these are historical facts. Rahul Gandhi has again insulted Swatyantraveer Savarkarhe has been constantly saying that he was an agent and took the money. I condemn his statement," Fadnavis said. He said the Congress has often insulted Savarkar because he had the backing of a large number of people. "After Independence, Congress has purposely insulted Savarkar several times, the BJP leader alleged. Latching on to Rahul's remarks, Fadnavis asked whether Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray would condemn his statement. The Congress and the Shiv Sena are partner
The Election Commission on Saturday barred the Shiv Sena factions led by Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde from using the party name and its election symbol in the Andheri East assembly bypoll. In an interim order over the claims by the rival factions for control of the organisation, the commission asked them to suggest by Monday three different name choices and also as many free symbols for allocation to their respective groups. The interim order came on Saturday on the Shinde faction's request seeking it be allocated the symbol as the Andheri East assembly bypoll is approaching. "The Commission is duty bound to ensure that all electoral steps of the bye election are free of any confusion and contradiction and thus its next step are necessarily agnostic to the possibility of either of the faction participating in the poll, the interim order said. The rival factions had approached the Commission after the split in the Shiv Sena ranks in June, claiming to be the 'real Shiv Sena'.
The Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena will begin its mass outreach programme titled 'Mahaprabodhan Yatra' on Sunday from Thane, the stronghold of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, whose rebellion brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in June. The programme comprises a series of rallies across the state to garner support of the people and highlight their issues and also boost the spirit of workers, Sena leader Chintamani Kharkhanis told reporters on Saturday. Incidentally, the posters of the yatra, with the slogan 'Aapla Maharashtra, Mahaan Maharashtra' will have images of both party founder late Bal Thackeray and Thane strongman later Anand Dighe, just like the publicity material used by the Shinde camp. The yatra is beginning from Thane as it is the cradle of the "betrayal and revolt" in the party, local Lok Sabha MP Rajan Vichare told reporters, a reference to Shinde walking away with a majority of MLAs to bring down the Uddhav Thackeray government on June
The Election Commission has asked the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena to respond by Saturday on rival Eknath Shinde group's claim on the party's 'bow and arrow' election symbol in view of the upcoming assembly bypoll in the state. The Commission's directive came on Friday after the Shinde faction submitted a memorandum seeking it be allocated the symbol as the Andheri East assembly bypoll is approaching. In a letter to Thackeray, the Commission directed it to furnish comments along with requisite documents latest by 2 pm on October 8. "In case no reply is received, the Commission will take appropriate action in the matter accordingly," the Commission said. The Commission told Thackeray the Shinde faction had staked claim to the bow and arrow' on October 4. The Andheri East bypoll was notified on Friday. Shiv Sena leader Anil Desai, who belongs to the Thackeray faction, said the party would respond to the Commission within the stipulated time. Desai met Commission offici
The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena on Friday alleged that Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Dussehra rally was a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-backed event, and mocked him saying that he only "read out Modi-Shah Chalisa" during his speech. It also dubbed the Shinde-led rebel faction as a "duplicate Shiv Sena". In an editorial in Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana', the party claimed that the Shinde camp must have spent Rs 50 crore to Rs 100 crore on the Dussehra rally held at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), as nearly 2,000 buses were booked to ferry supporters and over two lakh people who attended the event were given food. "The rally at the BKC was one of the BJP-backed events. The amount spent must have been the same used for buying a couple of MLAs. The event was like a fashion show and a beauty pageant," it said. Ever since Shinde and other Sena legislators rebelled against the party leadership, the Uddhav Thackeray faction has been targeting them saying that each of the reb
Lok Sabha member Shrikant Shinde on Thursday objected to Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray "dragging" the name of his one-and-a-half year old son during his Dussehra rally speech a day ago, and asked whether targeting a child suited his Hindutva. Shrikant Shinde is the son of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The rebel Sena MP represents the Kalyan Lok Sabha seat in Thane district. In an open letter, Shinde said late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray seared his political opponents, but never resorted to such "lowly" remarks. "Do you understand the views shared by you on Hindutva? I just want to ask you one thing whether such dragging a one-and-half-year old son suits your Hindutva? Shinde asked. On Wednesday, both the factions of the Shiv Sena - one led by Thackeray and other by CM Shinde - held their rallies that saw attacks and counter attacks against each other. During his speech, Thackeray attacked CM Shinde as he referred to his son (Shrikant) as a brat and said his gran
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Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his predecessor Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday accused each other of betrayal as the Shiv Sena groups headed by them held Dussehra rallies in Mumbai. While Uddhav Thackeray branded Shinde and his supporters as traitors for teaming up with the BJP to wrest power, the latter said Thackeray had betrayed people of Maharashtra who voted for the Sena and BJP to form an alliance government, by teaming up with Congress and NCP after 2019 Assembly elections. Thackeray made an hour-long speech at Shivaji Park ground, where his party has been holding the Dussehra rallies since its inception half a century ago, while Shinde addressed the crowd for an hour and a half at a bigger ground at Bandra Kurla Complex. Shinde asserted his rebellion was not an act of "betrayal", but a "revolt" and asked Uddhav Thackeray to kneel down at party founder Bal Thackeray's memorial here and apologise for going against his ideals and aligning with the Congress and the .
Jaidev Thackeray, the elder brother of Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, on Wednesday evening shared the stage with Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at the rebel faction's Dussehra rally at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai. Jaidev Thackeray's estranged wife Smita was also present at the MMRDA ground in BKC, the rally site in suburban Mumbai, along with Nihar, the son of late Bindumadhav Thackeray, Uddhav Thackeray's eldest brother. Champa Singh Thapa, a trusted aide of the late Bal Thackeray who served the Shiv Sena founder for 27 years, was also present at the event. Talking to reporters, Smita Thackeray said she was invited to the rally by Shinde, who heads the rebel faction of the Shiv Sena. Jaidev Thackeray, son of Bal Thackeray, said to share an uneasy relationship with his younger brother Uddhav Thackeray. The Uddhav Thackeray-led faction has organised its own Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park in central Mumbai. Both Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray claim their
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday asserted his rebellion was not an act of "betrayal", but a "revolt" and asked Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray to kneel down at party founder Bal Thackeray's memorial here and apologise for going against his ideals and aligning with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Addressing a mega rally at the Bandra Kurla Complex's MMRDA ground on the occasion of Dussehra, Shinde said voters in the state elected the Shiv Sena and the BJP in the 2019 Assembly elections, but Thackeray "betrayed" people by joining hands with the Congress and the NCP to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. He said massive crowds at his Dussehra rally was proof enough to show who are true inheritors of Bal Thackeray's legacy. Slamming Thackeray, Shinde, who heads the rebel faction of the party, said the Shiv Sena was not a private limited company and maintained the 56-year-old outfit was built through hard work of common Sena ...
In a scathing attack on Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his supporters, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said their reputation as "traitors" will never be washed away. Addressing the annual Dussehra rally at the iconic Shivaji Park ground here, Thackeray lashed out at Shinde, whose rebellion in June this year brought down the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government in the state. "As time changes, Ravan's face also changes. Today, it is the traitors (who are Ravan). When I was unwell and underwent a surgery, I had given the responsibility to him (Shinde). But he conspired against me thinking I will never stand up on my feet again," the former chief minister said. The Shiv Sena does not belong to one person but it belongs to all loyal Sena workers, Thackeray said, adding, "If you feel I should not remain the Sena president, I will quit. "There is a limit to lust for power...After the act of treachery, he now wants the party, its symbol and also
Ahead of his Dussehra rally, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday tweeted a couplet by famous Hindi poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan, which said that whosoever is his heir will be his son and not vice versa. Shinde's tweet appears to be targeted at former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya Thackeray. While Uddhav Thackeray heads one faction of the Shiv Sena, Shinde leads another camp. Both the leaders are scheduled to address the Dussehra rallies of their respective factions in Mumbai this evening. Bachchan's couplet posted by Shinde said, "My son, being my son will not be my heir, whoever will be my heir will be my son." The Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government collapsed on June 29 this year after Shinde rebelled against the Sena leadership along with 39 party legislators. A day later, he took oath as the chief minister with senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis as his deputy. Aaditya Thackeray, who represents